Redemption
by underworld-girl
Summary: After being betrayed by the people she loved most, Sakura shunned herself from everyone and turned into an emotionless doll...is Kakashi the one that can save her from her own hell? KakaSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: After being betrayed by the people she loved most, Sakura shunned herself from everyone and became an emotionless doll. Kakashi wants to try and save her but; does he have what it takes to rescue Sakura from her own hell?

**A/N:** This is my first fanfic ever, so be nice, ok? Since I'm a newbie at this, comments, suggestions, and tips are welcomes. Please don't flame me, but constructive criticisms is always accepted. Hopefully, I'll improve as time goes by. In any case, please read and review. Thanks and I hope you enjoy my fic.

**Disclaime**r: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

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Redemption- KakaSaku

Chapter 1

"Sakura!" Tsunade called out. She was sitting in her chair as she looked at some papers in front of her. In her desk, there were two stacks of paper: one with unfinished work and the other with finished work. It was around noon.

"You called for me?" a gentle voice said from behind the opening door.

"Ah yes, come in." Tsunade replied. Once the door was opened, Sakura walked in. She was wearing her usual nurse outfit: her red shirt, white skirt, black shorts and black boots. She had her hair long once again. It stopped a little bit after her shoulders, maybe 5 inches, and it was sort of wavy, giving her a more adult and attractive look.

"What is it Tsunade-sama? Is there something you need me for?" Sakura asked. Tsunade shook her head and looked at her. Sakura's cheeks had lost a little bit of her rosy color. She had eye sacks and it was obvious she was tired.

"How long have you been working?" Tsunade asked. Sakura looked up and counted.

"Um…about 16 hours."

Tsunade exhaled heavily and resumed her work.

"Take the week off."

Sakura looked at her with wide eyes. "What?! I can't do that! You know the hospital is busy and there's a lot going on. After that mission a lot of ninjas returned injured. I can't just leave!"

"And that's exactly why we have other nurses and shifts." Tsunade said while looking at the papers. She put the paper down and crossed her hands. She laid her elbows in the desk and rested her chin in her hands.

"Listen Sakura. I understand what you're saying. But you aren't doing yourself any good by overworking yourself, is not healthy for you. You're our top medic here and what good would our top medic be if she got sick herself? Listen, just take a week off. We can handle it."

"But-!" Sakura was going to protest but she was interrupted by and angry Tsunade.

"No buts! You're going to take the week off or I'm gonna slap you upside the head! Got it?!"

Sakura gulped and nodded.

"Good. You can leave now." Tsunade said.

Sakura turned and exited the office.

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Sakura was walking through the village with a bored expression. _Man…Tsunade sure wants me to take a break. I am feeling tired though but now, I don't know what to do. This is gonna be a boring week._

Suddenly, a figure in the distance started to wave at her.

Sakura couldn't figure out who it was at first but as the figure closed in she saw that it was Neji.

"Hi Sakura-san. How are you today?"

"Hi Neji-san. I'm doing quite well. Tsunade told me to take the week off since I've been

working too hard in her point of view." Sakura replied.

Neji chuckled "That is true. You've been in the hospital ever since those ninjas returned from their mission. You deserved the break."

Sakura smiled. "I guess you're right. So, what brings you here?"

"Well, actually I was looking for you." Neji answered scratching the back of his head with his hand.

"Looking for me?" Sakura said with a quizzical expression.

"Yes. Mind if we talk at the park?" Neji said. Sakura shook her head in return.

"So, what did you wanted to talk about?" Sakura asked.

They were both sitting on a bench. Sakura was at the right while Neji was besides her. There weren't many people walking in the area so, Neji and Sakura were alone.

Neji rested his arms in his knees. "You and Hinata-sama are really good friends. You practically tell each other everything that's anything. Am I correct?"

Sakura looked at him with a quizzical expression. She didn't get where he was going at still, his serious look said that it wasn't a joking matter.

"Um…yeah. What about it?"

"I wanted to know…" Neji felt a bit uneasy and couldn't get the words to come out at first but he gulped and finished off.

"…is Hinata-sama still in love Naruto?"

Sakura looked at him stunned while Neji looked at the ground.

Sakura shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, still not believing what she just

heard.

"Don't tell me that you love Hinata-chan?!"

Neji didn't response for a second but nodded soon after.

Sakura held her hand in her mouth and started giggling. "I knew you liked her."

Neji looked at her bewildered. "But…how did you-"

Sakura interrupted him. "I didn't but I had a feeling that you did. I mean, you always treated her differently and acted different towards her. I wasn't sure so I never commented about it. But, now I know. So…since when?"

Sakura looked at him eager to hear Neji's explanation to why he had fallen in love with Hinata.

"Well, some time ago now. See, after I changed and started to look after Hinata-sama I looked at her as nothing more than a sister. I loved her like a sister. Hinata-sama changed as well. At first she was afraid of me but later on, she started to talk to me more. And soon, we became really close. No doubt that I was a brother figure to her. In any case, I noticed that I was the only guy that Hinata-sama could talk freely with without muttering or being shy. She would trust me with her deepest thoughts, her worries, and her dreams. We could talk everyday about anything. That made me feel special in a way, you know? Before I knew it, I started looking at her differently. I started noticing things I didn't before."

"Like what?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Like, the way her warm smile always made me smile, how her laughter would make my heart happy, how her eyes shined, how the sun would highlight her smooth hair, how her gentle voice could always soothe me…in the end, I started to fall in love with her." Neji said smiling.

Sakura could notice how in love with her he was as he talked about Hinata. Neji's smile said everything and how he looked at the sky, picturing Hinata as he talked; there was no doubt that his feelings were pure.

Neji's smile slowly faded and he lowered his head.

"But…" Sakura added noticing Neji's sad expression.

"But, it couldn't be. Hinata-sama was always like a sister figure to me and I couldn't bring myself to accept my change in feelings of her. I was a brother to Hinata-sama and this would only complicate our relation. If any, it would make it awkward and Hinata-sama might start to avoid me. So, I started to deny whatever I felt. But it didn't last for long. As time passed, I saw how Hinata-sama changed in her physical appearance. And that made my feelings grow even more and they started to become difficult to control. Before I knew it, I couldn't keep living in my own denial. I was…no…I _am_ in love with Hinata-sama. Sakura-san, I want to tell hew how I feel but I'm afraid it would damage our relation."

"I understand what you mean." Sakura put her hand in his. "Listen, to answer your question. Hinata did love Naruto and I can tell that she still blushes when she sees him. But she doesn't love him anymore."

Neji looked at her as he heard that last sentence. "Seriously?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, Hinata-chan said so herself. She told me that although her crush is still there, she realized that she didn't really want anything romantic with him. Besides, Naruto was always too oblivious about her feelings and she slowly started to realize that they really weren't meant to be. She said that she felt her heart belong to someone else, but she doesn't know who. So, you have a chance Neji-san."

Neji grinned. "Thanks Sakura-san. But don't tell anyone about this."

Sakura smiled. "You have my word."

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After hearing Neji's confession, Sakura left and started to walk in the village. She grinned as she was walking along, thinking about what Neji said.

_I knew Neji-san loved Hinata-chan. I'm very happy for him. I wonder when he will confess though._

That thought kept inside Sakura's head and she could only pay attention to it. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling her from behind.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned to see who it was. It was none other than Naruto, running at her, calling her name and waving at her.

"Naruto!" Sakura waved back.

Naruto stopped a few feet in front of her. "Hey Sakura-chan, shouldn't you be working now?"

"I should, but Tsunade-sama said that I should take a break." Sakura answered.

"Oh. Hey, do you want some lunch? I'm starving." Naruto put his hand in his stomach.

Sakura smiled. "Sure. But I only have money for one. You'll have to pay this time."

"Ohhhh!" Naruto groaned. "Then I need to go and get money. Wait for me at Ichiraku. I'll be right back."

Naruto left running the direction he came from. Sakura put her hand in her hips and shook her head and she chuckled.

_That Naruto._

Sakura walked along and passed a bar. She turned and saw a familiar figure. It was a tall man wearing the jounin attire, minus the pine-green vest. The man had spikey-silver hair. That hair was impeccable; it was Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura called out.

Kakashi heard the voice calling him and only one name came through his mind. There was only one girl that would have such a cheerful yet gentle voice. He turned half-way and waved at Sakura.

"Hi Sakura." Kakashi grinned.

"Hey." Sakura smiled back and stood in front of him.

"I though you'd be working at this time." Kakashi commented.

"Tsunade-sama gave me the week off." Sakura said with an annoyed tone.

"You must've been overworking yourself once again. You know, that isn't very healthy for you. I wouldn't want something bad happening to you.

Sakura sighed. "I know, I know. Tsunade-sama said the same thing."

Kakashi chuckled.

"So, did you eat lunch or are you going to?"

"Going to. Naruto invited me and well…he thought I was going to pay for him again but

I didn't bring enough money so...he went to get some." Sakura said.

Suddenly, Kakashi moved forward, cupped her chin and gently lifted her face a bit. Sakura's emerald eyes stared at Kakashi's onyx eyes.

"Now, that makes me sad. You go to eat lunch with Naruto, but not with me little old

me." Kakashi said with a flirtatious tone.

Kakashi flirted with Sakura but just for laughs. Sakura would just reject him but laugh about it later on. She and Kakashi became really close. She would visit him everyday and talk about anything. Sakura trusted him with all her heart and she always felt at peace whenever she was with him. Of course, she loved him as her ex-sensei. Although he flirted with her, it was all harmless; he liked messing around with her.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh please Kakashi. Naruto invited me. I couldn't say no."

"Well then, what you're saying is that if I invite you you'll go with me?" Kakashi said leaning closer to her.

Sakura raised an eye brow and gave him a flirtatious yet harmless look. "Maybe."

She chuckled. "If I say no, you won't stop going on about it until I do. So, how about tomorrow?"

Kakashi maintained his distance as before and grinned. "It's a date."

Sakura smiled back.

Then Naruto appeared. "Hey, Sakura-chan! I thought you were at Ichiraku?"

Sakura turned at Naruto. "Oh, I was just talking with Kakashi. Let's go I'm starving."

Kakashi waved at Naruto and Sakura with a grin. "You two enjoy yourself."

Both replied with a smile and departed the bar.

Kakashi watched at Sakura and Naruto left. Both talking and smiling their way.

Kakashi's grin slowly faded.

_I'm glad she's smiling again. I remember when she stopped smiling like that. After Sasuke left…she became a total wreck. Having constant mental breakdowns, a serious depression that left her locked in her room for almost a week and what's worse…her attempt to commit suicide. I thought she would never smile again but, amazingly she mustered the strength she needed and slowly got back in her feet. She became Tsunade's apprentice to keep her mind in something and soon, she became the village's top medic. I could see how she slowly regained her happiness back; but most importantly, how her cheerful smile would slowly appear in her face._

As Kakashi remembered, he felt a knot in his throat and heart. Remembering Sakura's grief always resulted in Kakashi feeling a mixture of emotions.

_Sakura…_

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**A/N:** Well, chapter 1 is done. I hope you all liked it. This is an intro for the characters and how their relation is between Sakura. Chapter 2 will continue will the intros. Again, no flaming but you can leave constructive criticisms. I'll need it. See you soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Here's chapter 2. Thanks for the reviews guys.

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Chapter 2

Sakura walked along the village. She looked left and right, watching the various stores; wondering what she could do.

Sakura sighed, _Sure is boring. Man, I don't know if I can take a week without work._

Luckily, she happened to cross paths with Hinata who was coming out of the grocery holding 2 plastic bags, one on each hand.

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura called out.

Hinata turned her head right to see the person that had addressed her. She saw Sakura walking towards her, waving.

Sakura and Hinata walked along Hinata carrying one of Hinata's plastic bags in her left hand.

"How have you been Sakura-chan? I haven't seen you in a while." Hinata asked.

"I've been alright. The hospital was very busy so I had tons of work. But, I'm taking some time off." Sakura answered.

Hinata suddenly ran and stood in front of Sakura. "Oh, I've _got_ to tell you this."

Hinata looked at Sakura with wide eyes and an anxious expression. Sakura knew it was a gossip. Hinata would always make that facial gesture whenever she had a new gossip to tell.

"Kiba is starting to hit on me." Hinata giggled.

"Really...how exactly?" Sakura asked intrigued. She had a feeling that Kiba liked her but he never really showed it.

"Well...he's been complimenting me and he's been acting awkward when he's near me. Also, he even asked me out!" Hinata said.

Sakura grinned. "Awww! Well...he is a hottie so, go for it!" She winked.

"Yea...he is good looking but...no." Hinata said looking at the ground

"What do you mean 'no'? You mean you turned him down?"Sakura asked.

Hinata nodded softly as she looked at the ground.

"He's very sweet but...he isn't the one for me."

Sakura looked at her with a quizzical expression.

"How so?"

"Well..." Hinata pouted thinking for a moment. "...he's just not the one. I mean like I said he's sweet and all but I just don't feel like he's the person I'm waiting for. It is a shame to turn him down but he'll surely find someone. It's not me so that means that the person for him still hasn't arrived, you know?" Hinata smiled.

Sakura smiled back. "Yea. I see what you mean."

Hinata stood up. "Well, I have to go now. I promised Neji I was going to cook him his favorite plate for dinner. I haven't in some time."

Sakura handed Hinata her grocery bag. "Ah. Well I hope all goes well."

Hinata smiled at Sakura in return and giggled. She then left.

Sakura watched as Hinata departed.

_If she turned down Kiba that means that Neji still has a chance._

She pictured Neji and Hinata together in her mind and smiled.

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Sakura sat on a bench, with her body foward. She looked up at the sky and let on an exasperating sigh.

"Ohhhh!!! This is so boring!!! Having no work sucks!"

She put her hands in her head and started to shake her head.

"What sucks?" a voice said from her right side. The voice was deep, and adult-like. Clearly it was from an older man; one that she knew of course.

She turned her head directed to the voice and she saw two familiar men. Both had their jounin attire; one had spikey black hair with a bandage in the top of his nose that went all the way up to the back of his head and the other one had short hair that stopped at his neck and had his head covered.

"Izumo-san. Kotetsu-san."

"Hey." they both said raising one hand half way.

They both sat on the bench with Sakura. Izumo was at her right and Kotetsu was at her left.

Izumo and Kotetsu have been with Sakura on a few missions. They had became good friends and companions. Along their mission they have also gaind each others respect. Sakura would talk to them from time to time considering her duties and their own.

"So...Tsunade-sama gave you the week off, huh?" Kotetsu said.

Sakura nodded.

"You probably were over-working yourself again. So it's understandable." Izumo added.

"I know...but having nothinig to do is...is not my thing, you know?" Sakura said.

Izumo and Kotetsu looked at each other. Izumo nodded once.

"Hey Sakura-san." Kotestu called out.

Sakura turned her head and looked at Kotetsu.

"You know...me and Izumo are going kareoke tonight with Genma. Since you don't have anything to do, we were wondering if you'd like to come with us. We'd pick you up around 8?" Kotetsu looked at Izumo to confirm.

"I think 7 would be better. Since we're going to eat dinner." Izumo said.

"Then 8 it is. How about it?" Kotetsu asked.

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'd love to!"

After finishing their small chat, the 3 ninjas stood up.

"I have to go now. I promised Kakashi I was going to eat lunch with him today." Sakura said.

"Ok. Well...we'll see you tonight, all right?" Izumo reminded.

Sakura nodded. "Right. I'll see you guys later then!"

Sakura waved at them and walked away.

Kotetsu and Izumo waved back at Sakura and turned to leave the opposite way Sakura was heading.

"Wait!" Sakura called back.

The 2 jounin turned.

"I forgot...can I bring someone else with me?" Sakura asked.

"Sure. Bring as many as you like." Kotetsu asnwered with a girn.

Sakura smiled. "Ok. Bye then."

Kotetsu and Izumo watched grinning as Sakura departed with her unique and cheerful smile.

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**A/N:** Well, intros are finally done. I'm missing Ino but she'll come later on. In any case, I'll say before hand that I don't know how many chapters this is gonna be. I'll just keep writting until I think the story is finished.


	3. Chapter 3: The Past Returns

**A/N:** I know this is fast but I already had this chapter done before chapter 2. lol In any case, the real story starts now. Hope you like it and don't forget to review please.

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**Chapter 3:** The Past Returns.

**1 year later**

"Why did you come back?" Tsunade asked with a cold glare.

Sasuke had returned. As soon as he was spotted, a group pf jounins came and captured him before he could continue any further to the village. He was immediately taken to Tsunade's office.

Sasuke was being held by 2 Kotetsu and Izumo.

"Because...I didn't want the life Orochimaru offered me."

"I think that's too vague an explanation even for you Sasuke. You _did_ wanted that life because you _chose_ it. Now, I want a clear and understandable explanation. Even if it's a lie make it sound like the truth." Tsunade said with a firm tone.

Sasuke stared at Tsunade. He certainly didn't want to give his explanation in front of Kotetsu and Izumo. Tsunade understood what his silence meant.

"Very well. You'll tell me afterwards. But answer me this, what happened with Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked.

Sasuke kept silence for a moment. He closed his eyes momentarily and opened them again. "Dead."

Izumo and Kotetsu looked at each other with wide-opened eyes. Tsunade was shocked as well, but didn't express it.

"You killed Orochimaru?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"I did." Sasuke answered firmly.

Tsunade looked at him up and down. She couldn't believe that Sasuke killed Orochimaru. This gave her a momentarily sense of fear. If Sasuke could do it meant that he had become stronger during the years, which could mean a threat to Konoha. Yet, she saw no reason why Sasuke could want to bring danger to Konoha.

"In any case, on to your sentence." Tsunade looked at the papers in her desk and searched for the one that had Sasuke's sentence written down. "Now, because of your treason for Konoha, you have been resigned as a ninja. For a period time of 4 years, you will be confined inside. Konoha. You will use the time to work on simple D ranked mission, depending on your work inside Konoha we'll determine, after the 4 years period had passed, whether you should apply for the chunin exam or not. Now, there's one last thing."

Tsunade closed her eyes momentarily. Sasuke looked at her.

"You will have to give up on Itachi."

Sasuke swallowed and glared at her. Of all the things, she was telling him to give up on the one thing that kept him alive. The one thing he had been fighting and devoting his entire life for. She was ordering him to forget about it.

"We cannot risk having you leave again. We know Itachi is still alive, and as long as he is you won't stop your desire for revenge."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"If you do not accept this last term, I will have you confined to Konoha until you do otherwise." Tsunade added.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before he answered.

"Fine."

Tsunade sighed, relieved. "Good. Izumo. Kotetsu."

"Yes." They both replied.

"Release Sasuke and leave. I need to speak alone with him."

Izumo released Sasuke and, along with Kotetsu, they both left the office.

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Naruto ran to the Hokage tower, and found Kakashi leaning in the wall of the door, with a troubled face.

"Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi-sensei!" He cried.

Kakashi turned to Naruto.

"Hello Naruto."

"Is it true?! That Sasuke came back!" Naruto asked anxiously.

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a moment and nodded.

"Yes. He's currently with Tsunade."

Naruto rolled his fists. "I see."

Kakashi knew perfectly that Naruto was angry at Sasuke. Naruto was also one of the few people that witnessed the despair Sakura went after Sasuke left. Naruto will always resent what Sasuke did to Sakura.

Sakura came outside from the door holding some papers.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Did you know?" Naruto asked softly.

"Know what?" Sakura gave him a confused face.

"Sasuke came back." Naruto said reluctantly.

Sakura's eyes widened and she let her papers fall.

Naruto kneeled to pick Sakura's paper. He didn't like the face Sakura made, though it was expected.

Kakashi stared at Sakura's gaped expression. He noticed that her hands were trembling. Actually, he had expected her to make that kind of reaction.

Naruto handed Sakura the papers. Naruto called her but she didn't respond. After the second call, Sakura came to her sense and grabbed the papers from Naruto's hands.

"Thanks Naruto. Um…I have to do something. I'll…I'll see you guys later." Sakura said with an uneasy tone.

Naruto understood why Sakura wanted leave. It was clear that she wasn't prepared to see Sasuke after such a long time. He could understand that she needed time to prepare herself mentally before seeing Sasuke.

"Alright. I'll see you later." Naruto said. It still hurt him when he remember Sakura's grief. He swore that he was never going to forgive Sasuke for what he did.

Sakura gave both them a smile that was as uneasy as her face and departed.

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Sakura came to her apartment. She closed the door behind her and leaned on it, letting her papers fall.

She looked down at the floor. _He…he came back._

Suddenly, a painful flashback invaded her mind: the night Sasuke left. She still remembered it perfectly. Sasuke leaving, her trying to make him stay, her confession, her tears, Sasuke apparent indifference…and in the end, she was left with 2 simple words: 'Thank you'. The 2 words she had spent her past time trying to define their meaning. Why had he said them? Did he really mean it? Did they even mean anything to him?

Sakura slowly sat on the floor and hugged her knees tightly towards her chest. She dug her face in them, and sobbed.

_Sasuke…kun…_

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Sasuke left Tsunade's office and headed outside. Just when he passed the door, there was Kakashi.

"Hello Sasuke." Kakashi said with the same laid-back tone as he used to.

Sasuke lowered his head and looked away.

"Come on. Let's take a walk." Kakashi and Sasuke left.

As they walked in the village, people kept murmuring and whispering; talking between each other about Sasuke. Sasuke wouldn't look neither to his right nor his left.

"You ought to feel like that. After all, the villagers still resent the fact that you betrayed them." Kakashi said.

Sasuke didn't respond.

Finally, they stopped in a solitary place. Better said, it was the place where Team 7 did their survival training. The 3 logs were still there as always. Sasuke looked at the surrounding habitat; how could he forget this place. Kakashi walked forward and stood by one of the logs.

"Kakashi…why aren't your scowling me or giving me the same cold glare Tsunade did?" Sasuke asked looking away.

"Because…I figured you're already ashamed as it is." Kakashi answered.

Sasuke looked at him, surprised by his reply.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come out. Sauske has always been prideful and this word in particular wouldn't come at ease.

Kakashi saw Sasuke's attempt and knew what it was.

"Don't worry…I already forgave you." He said with the same warm smile he would give Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at him. Kakashi had been like a father to him. Still, he used the power Kakashi taught him for wrong. It was hard looking at Kakashi's smile; he didn't deserve it and he will never deserve it.

As he was lost in thought, he felt a hand on his head. He looked up.

"It's ok Sasuke. You must've been through a lot with Orochimaru. I'm just glad you're doing well. Though, I'm looking forward into seeing what you're capable off. Now, I suggest you go and talk with Naruto. He's very anxious to see you." Kakashi said.

Sasuke nodded. He didn't expect Kakashi to react like this. Still, this is what he used to like about Kakashi. He was the way his father never was.

After Sasuke left, Kakashi stayed in the same spot.

_Sasuke..._

_Although I'm glad you have returned, I get the feeling that there's more to this. Why did you really return? _

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Sasuke stood in front of Naruto's apartment; he had been for several minutes. Sasuke enrolled his fists and reluctantly, knocked at the door. Sasuke heard Naruto's footsteps. They became louder as he approached the door from the inside.

Naruto opened the door a few inches. "Who is it?"

As soon as Naruto saw Sasuke's unchangeable face, Naruto's face darkened.

"What do you want." Naruto said coldly with narrowed eyes and a glare.

"To talk." Sasuke replied with a solemn tone.

Naruto glared at Sasuke for a few minutes. He certainly didn't want to talk to him of all people, but he had a lot to explain.

"Fine." Naruto finally said. He opened his door completely and let Sasuke entered.

Once Sasuke entered the apartment and Naruto closed the door, Naruto charged at Sasuke rapidly and punched him in his right cheek. Though Sasuke almost fell due that he was caught off-guard, he still maintained his balance. He glared at Naruto and wiped the blood that dripped off the right side of his mouth. He had expected Naruto to do that.

"That isn't even the least of what you deserve." Naruto said with an angry and cold glare. A glare that said defined Naruto's emotions: hate, resent, anger…

They were all emotions that made Naruto desire to beat Sasuke to a pulp. Still, Naruto had matured and he knew that fighting now wouldn't solve anything at the moment. Sasuke had come to talk and that is what Naruto was going to do; listen to what he has to say.

Sasuke sat in the chair that was part of the dining table set. Naruto sat on the opposite side, facing Sasuke. Sasuke hadn't changed, though his hair was a bit longer. His bangs were now up to half his neck, and his hair on the back now had volume. But, his onyx eyes were the same as always. As he looked at him, a burning emotion flushed in his body. That man, the man in front of him was the same man that hurt Sakura. He's the reason Sakura almost died. He's the one that turned Sakura into a wreck. And still, he knew that Sakura still had feelings for him even if they had faded a little. Why? Why would she have feelings for a person like him? The person that hurt her, the same person that left her with those 2 words that tormented her. Why? Why? Why?

Naruto rested his elbows in the table and united his fingers; then he rested his chin in them.

"So…talk." Naruto ordered.

It took a few seconds for Sasuke to respond.

"I killed Orochimaru."

Naruto's eyes widened and he jumped out of the chair. "What?!"

"I killed him. He's gone." Sasuke repeated in a low tone.

Naruto was left gaped. _How…how could it be? Sasuke…Sasuke killed Orochimaru? But…how? If he did then…is Sasuke really that strong? _

The thought of Sasuke being stronger than Orochimaru haunted his mind for a moment.

"That's right I killed him. I wanted to leave that place." Sasuke added.

"Why?" asked Naruto intrigued. As far as Naruto knew, Sasuke _chose_ to leave; now he killed him because he _wanted_ to leave?

"Because…I didn't want to be there anymore. Orochimaru made me went through hell in his lair. It was nothing like I expected. At first it all went well but…things got worse. I was able to see Orochimaru's true sadistic manner. He wanted me to feel comfortable at first but as I got accustomed to it…he started to change his way towards me. Soon, I couldn't stand it anymore. But I played along and once I thought I had grown stronger than him, I took my chance and killed him." Sasuke explained.

Naruto listened closely. He thought Orochimaru was going to be like that, but he still had his doubts.

"I see…" Naruto said with his head lowered.

Sasuke looked at Naruto for a moment. Again, he wanted to say the same word but it he wasn't able to say it.

Naruto then looked up and smiled. "Is ok. I accept your apology. Is hard though but, I guess…you have been through a lot. You wouldn't have returned if you're apology wasn't sincere, now would it?"

Sauske looked at Naruto surprised by what he had just said. He lowered his head and nodded in a for of gratitude.

"Still…you shouldn't be apologizing to me." Naruto added.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto stood quiet for a moment; he swallowed. "Sakura…you should apologize to her."

"Why?" Sauske asked bewildered.

"Because…she's the one that got hurt the most." Naruto answered with narrowed eyes.

"Do you have any idea of the pain she went through because of you?! After you left, she became a total wreck. She cried every day, she didn't eat a thing for almost a week, she locked herself in her room for a week, and she even got constant mental breakdowns. In fact…she even tried to kill herself."

Sasuke eyes widened.

"So really Sasuke…I will forgive you but only if you talk with Sakura and say that you're sorry for what you did to her. When she knew that you were here…I could tell by her face that she was scared; sacred to see you…sacred to feel pain again. She went to her apartment, probably to cry herself to sleep again. I swore I was never going to forgive you but if you put your pride aside and apologize to her, I just might. She deserves at least that little from you." Naruto continued.

Sasuke looked away. A sentiment of guilt came to him. He couldn't believe that Sakura had gone through so much pain because of him. The guilt caused him a knot in his throat, just by making a mental picture of her grief.

_Sakura…_

He kept silence for a moment, staring at the table. Finally, he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Alright. I'll go see her."

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**A/N:** Now I have to start chapter 4. I have a bit of internet problems so patience. I might not update it as fast. Still, it'll be worth the wait.


	4. Chapter 4: Rekindled Feelings

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Chapter 4: Rekindled Feelings

Sasuke stood in front of Sakura's apartment door. He stared at the door in front of him. She was there, behind that door. That girl…the only one that cared for him for who he was and not what he looked like. The girl that had proven to him that she was willing to sacrifice everything for him. The girl that once annoyed him, and later on became his dear teammate. The girl that, according to Naruto, suffered because of him.

A flashback of the night he left came into his mind. He saw the 12 year-old Sakura behind him, begging him to stay, hearing her broken voice, seeing her shedding tears for him. And then…he left her with those 2 words.

_Thank you_

Sasuke swallowed and slowly reached out his hand towards the door. Reluctantly, he enrolled his hand into a fist and knocked.

Sakura was in her bed, sitting on the edge, looking at a notebook. Her bed was full size; it had the blanket on top which was white and at the bottom there was a pink and wide line that went all the way around. It also had 2 pillows; both were pink. As she heard the knock on the door, she looked towards the direction the door was.

_I wonder who it is._

She laid her notebook on top of the small drawer that was on the left side of her bed. The drawer had wooden aspect but it was smooth and it had 2 small drawers. On the right side of the notebook there was a small lamp. Sakura stood up and walked towards the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Sasuke." Sasuke replied with his solemn voice.

As soon as Sakura heard that impeccable voice, she felt a chill crawl up from her toes all the way up to her spine. Her body got goosebumps and got paralyzed. She couldn't move; her feet were fixed on the ground. A knot formed on her throat. She couldn't speak and breathing became hard.

_Sasuke-kun…_

He was there. Sasuke was in front of his door. After 5 years, she was going to see him again. A mixture of feelings compelled her. What did she felt? She didn't even know. She couldn't even describe what feelings engulfed her mind at the moment. All she knew was that Sasuke was there.

Sasuke kept still in front of the door wondering if Sakura was going to open it or not.

Finally he said, "Well…if you don't feel like talking now, I'll come by tomorrow."

Sasuke turned half-way, but his eyes caught a paper that had come sliding through under Sakura's door. He picked it up and read it.

_Meet me tomorrow at sunrise, near the 3 logs were he had our survival test._

Sasuke nodded and departed.

Sakura was leaning in the door; her body weight was forward towards her feet that were stretched out. Her hands were supporting her inclined body from the door. Sakura looked down at the ground as she heard Sasuke's footsteps fade away.

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It was sunrise. Sasuke walked along the path that went towards the spot that Sakura had addressed him. He wondered if Sakura was already there or not. In any case, one question came to his mind: How will she react?

Finally, he reached the destination. And there he saw, a young girl wearing what seemed like a nurse outfit except that it had black boots, leaning against the last log from the left that was looking towards the forest. Sasuke swallowed and maintained level-headed and walked forward.

Sakura heard some footsteps closing in and fixed her eyes in the direction they were coming. Alas, she saw Sasuke; his attire that looked similar to the one he used to wear when they were kids. Except that it was dark blue and it didn't have the big collar and his pants were a bit longer.

Sakura stood up straight and walked up to Sasuke. They finally met face to face, after 4 years. The both noticed their small change in their features. Sasuke noticed Sakura's long and wavy hair and her face had more of a woman's looks. Sakura saw that Sasuke's hair was a bit longer and so were his bangs, though his face still remained the same as always with just a bit of change.

"I wanted to talk to you." Sasuke broke the silence looking away.

"About what?" Sakura asked looking away as well.

"Nothing important, really. I mean…I already talked with Kakashi and Naruto so, I thought I should talk to you as well." He said; still looking away.

"I see. Well…you still didn't answer my question. But…"

A small smile appeared in Sakura's face.

"…but I guess that was expected from you."

Sasuke looked at the smile she had giving him. Somehow he could tell that she was hiding what she felt in that smile but he didn't give much attention to it.

Sakura leaned against the log again, this time facing Sasuke but looking away.

"I taken that you talked with Tsunade-sama."

"I did. She gave me my sentence." Sasuke said looking at the opposite side Sakura was looking.

"What did she say?" Sakura asked.

"That I was to be confined inside Konoha for 4 years doing community service." Sasuke answered. He didn't want to tell Sakura the other part; the one that said he had to give up on Itachi. He still couldn't bring himself to accept it.

"I see."

There was a momentary silence. Both had been looking away as they talked. Sasuke couldn't bring himself to look at Sakura and neither could she.

"Sasuke…may I...may I ask you something?" Sakura asked softly.

Sasuke nodded in return.

"Why…why did you come back?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura as she asked the question with a soft gentle and yet scared voice.

"Because...I couldn't stand it there anymore. Orochimaru made me go through hell…I… it was…it was like living with the damned. Like being in hell…I gained the power I wanted since I was able to kill Orochimaru but still…I…didn't felt complete…and…" Sasuke enrolled his fist in frustration.

Sakura looked at the struggling Sasuke with caring eyes. She could understand what he meant. She slowly reached her hand out and touched his arm. Sasuke felt the warm touch and looked at Sakura. His eyes were fixed on her hypnotizing green eyes.

"It's ok. I understand." She said with a gentle voice.

Sasuke could stand it anymore. He's purpose for talking to her was to apologize and yet…is as if she already forgave him. After all she went through, she could still look at him with the same eyes as she did 4 years ago.

Suddenly, Sasuke felt an impulse. Unconsciously, he grabbed Sakura and pulled her towards him embracing her.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered in Sakura's ear. "I'm sorry I made you go through all that. Naruto told me. I'm sorry…I really am…"

Sakura could feel Sasuke's breath in her ear. A chill came through her spine and the blood flowed to her face causing her to blush. She was too stunned to react. First Sasuke embraced her and now he was apologizing to her. But she could hear Sasuke's tone of voice, he truly was sorry.

Sasuke looked behind Sakura's left shoulder. Why had he done that? Why was he hugging her?

_My body moved on its own. I don't know why I did it…I just…I just felt that impulse. But…why?_

Despite his confused self, he didn't let go. Still hugging Sakura, he was able to notice something he never did before. Her smell, it was like fresh strawberries and her hair smelled so….sweet. He felt a soothing sensation; something he hadn't felt before.

Sakura raised her arms and returned the hug. She clutched Sasuke's shirt from behind and rested her face in his opposite shoulder. He was hugging her. Sasuke…the boy she had loved all her life was with his arms around her. Was all this real? Was this one of her past dreams? She tightened her embrace. No. It was real.

Sasuke felt Sakura's hug and he noticed that his heartbeat increased by the second, he felt a hot flush of blood running through his body making him warm. Why was he feeling like that?

"Sakura…" Sasuke called in a whisper.

"Yes…" she responded.

"Those two words I said before I left that night…"

Sakura kept silence for a moment. She would never forget those 2 words.

"Yes…" the volume of her voice was even softer.

"I really meant them." Sasuke said whispering, this time, close to Sakura's ear.

Sakura felt a relief in her soul, mind and heart. That question that had tormented her is finally answered. Now, she finally knew what they meant to him.

After being like that for a while, Sasuke broke the hug. He gazed at Sakura's green eyes. Sakura studied him and gently, laid her smooth hand on his check and caressed him.

"I forgive you…Sasuke-kun." She said with a gentle whisper.

Again, Sasuke acted on impulse and grabbed Sakura once more. But this time, their lips met. Sakura was stunned at first by it but then, she got lost in the feeling. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss.

_Why did I do this? Again, my body moved on its own. Why did I felt the urge to…to kiss her?_

_He's kissing me. Is this a dream? Why did he do it?_

Soon, both of them got lost exchanging kisses. Sasuke slowly pressed Sakura's body against his own. He felt Sakura's chest pressed against his. He noticed that his heartbeat increased by the second, he felt a hot flush of blood running through his body making him warm. Why was he feeling like that?

Sakura felt Sasuke's warm body against her own. She felt his hand around her waist as it pressed her chest against Sasuke's. Her heartbeat increased; she felt her stomach flutter and her heart jump. She put her hand around his neck and then in his cheek.

Sasuke had his hands in the back of her head as her smooth, pink locks would flow through his fingers like water. He was lost…he didn't know why he was feeling and acting like this. But he knew one thing…he had never felt like this before.

Sakura had longed for this all her life. She wondered once more of this was a dream. The boy she dreamed about, the boy she loved, the boy that she was willing to sacrifice anything for, was here…kissing her. She had tried to forget about him and her feelings for him. But it was impossible. She could never fully forget and now, by this, all those feelings that had been faded away, returned. Still, she didn't know why he was doing this. It wasn't Sasuke to act like that, but she paid no attention to it. All she wanted was that moment to be endless; both exchanging kisses, under the rising sun.

_Sasuke-kun…_

_Sakura…_

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After their moment together, both of them wanted to go back to their apartments. They had a lot to think about.

Sakura closed the door of her apartment behind her and leaned against it. The memory of their kiss was still engraved in her lips.

_The way he kissed is so…so passionate. His taste is so…wonderful. His lips were so…smooth…_

Sakura touched the tip of her lips with her fingers. She could still feel his lips brushing against hers. She still had his taste in her mouth. That definitely wasn't a dream. It was real.

Sakura headed towards her bed. She lifted the mattress and picked something from under it. It was a picture frame. She looked at it with nostalgic eyes and grinned. Her fingers ran threw the glass that protected the photo. A smile covered her face. She lay under her bed hugging the picture frame close to her chest. She looked at it once more. The photo was none other than the one Team 7 had taken 4 years ago. She had hidden it under her bed so that she wouldn't have to look at it. At first, when ever she saw that photo she would always start crying. Guilt would overcome her; the guilt of feeling that she didn't do enough for Sasuke. But now, those feelings faded away. Sasuke had returned and now, she could look at the photo with a smile like she once did at a time.

_Sasuke-kun…welcome back._

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Sasuke sat in his bed with a troubled face; thinking of his kiss with Sakura.

_Why did I hug her? Why did I kiss her? Why? _

He shut his eyes. But as soon as he did, the memory took place in his mind. He felt Sakura's smooth lips brush against his own, feeling her breath. Her taste was still in his mouth; a taste that made his body desire for more.

_Her lips…so smooth, her taste, her mouth, and her smell…everything…everything was…desirable…all about her…why? Sakura… _

Sasuke laid down on his twin bed; still with those thoughts and memories engraved in his mind. He had kissed the girl that once loved him with all her heart but he wasn't sure why he did it. Still, he remembered that the feeling he had felt when he kissed her was something he hadn't experienced before yet, it was something that he desired. Why was that?

_I think I'm beginning to understand…what I want. What's left for me to obtain here. Sakura…I want you. _

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	5. Chapter 5: Struggling Sentiments

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far. Also, I wanted to apologize beforehand if I had any grammatical mistakes in the past chapters or in those to come. Sometimes those errors bypass me and I miss them so, sorry. English isn't my native language so I sometimes confuse terms and my vocabulary isn't that big. Hopefully, I'll keep improving as I write.

**Jade Raven**: Yes I am aware that Hinata and Neji are first cousins. But I really like them as a couple so I wanted to add them in my story.

**everyone:** This is a KakaSaku story. You'll see very soon.

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**Chapter 5:** Struggling Sentiments

**The next day**

After that morning, when Sasuke and Sakura had expressed their hidden feelings to one another, everything felt into place for them. Sasuke and Sakura became a couple. Sasuke couldn't deny that he wanted Sakura as much as Sakura wanted him. But, it wasn't until today that they both decided to make their relationship public. So, Sakura, eager to tell her friends, invited Ino and Hinata for a drink at the bar.

"I heard that Sasuke came back, is it true?" asked Hinata.

Ino gave Hinata a small glare and rolled her eyes towards Sakura who was sitting in the middle of the both. Ino knew what Sakura went through and so did Hinata. When Hinata saw Ino's glare she backed away a little, feeling bad.

"It's ok, don't worry about me. I feel great actually! I'm so glad Sasuke-kun's back." Sakura said smiling.

Ino didn't look very convinced. "Are you sure Sakura?"

Sakura nodded. "Mm-hm."

"Well, in any case, what is it that you wanted to tell us, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked changing the subject.

"Well…" Sakura started looking at her fingers.

"Really?!" Ino and Hinata cried looking at Sakura with wide-opened eyes.

Sakura nodded blushing.

"I didn't think it would happen." Ino said, still stunned by the news.

"Me neither. But still…I'm so happy for you Sakura-chan!" Hinata said hugging Sakura.

"It's still a bit hard for me to believe it but…is true." Sakura said, grinning.

Ino looked at Sakura. It was clear that she was truly happy about being Sasuke's girlfriend. After all, it was she always wanted. Still, Ino couldn't help but feel jealous about all this. Despite everything, she still liked Sasuke. But, she didn't want to worry Sakura so she tried to ignore her feelings.

After they were done, before Ino left she decided to talk to Sakura. Hinata had already departed to her house.

"Sakura…I want to talk to you."

Sakura looked at Ino. "Sure. What about?"

"Well…is about Sasuke-kun." Ino answered. "I know you two are together but…I…I still like him."

Ino looked away. Sakura felt uneasy.

"Still…I'll put my feelings aside for you. I know how much you love him and I'm very happy for you. So, as your best friend, if you ever need me let me know. I just want you to be happy, Sakura." Ino smiled.

Sakura felt a bit confused for a moment. She thought Ino was going to be upset but it was the opposite. This gave her a big relief inside.

"Thank you so much Ino." Sakura smiled in return. "I'm so happy to be with Sasuke-kun. I really love him and…and he's just so sweet. I honestly didn't expect my old feelings to return but…I guess…I could never stop loving him"

Ino nodded with a grin. She truly was happy for her. After all, she knew this is was Sakura always wanted. "Well…I better go now. I'll see you tomorrow, hopefully."

Ino waved and departed.

Sakura waved back. "Ok. See ya!"

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Sasuke and Sakura were walking along the village, holding hands. Sakura was going to go work at the hospital. As they walked they saw 2 figures coming towards them, one was waving and running.

"Sakura-chan! Sasuke!" It was Naruto. Kakashi was beside him.

"Hey Naruto. Kakashi-sensei." Sakura said waving back.

"So are you…." Naruto suddenly caught glimpse at Sasuke and Sakura's hands. He noticed them holding.

"AAAAHHHH!!!!" Naruto cried pointing at them. "Wha-wha-wha-what the hell?!!! You don't mean…?!"

Sakura giggled and Sasuke looked away blushing and pouting.

"Since when?!" Naruto asked.

"Yesterday." Sakura answered. Sasuke was still looking away. Sakura giggled.

Naruto leaned forward wit his mouth opened wide. "I-I can't believe it."

"Well, is true." Sakura smiled and leaned towards Sasuke's arm hugging it. Sasuke looked at her and blushed.

Kakashi smiled at them. "So Sakura, I'm guessing all went well yesterday."

Sakura nodded. "Yes."

Kakashi looked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked away. Kakashi smiled.

"Well in any case, I'm happy for you Sakura-chan!" Naruto said smiling.

"Thanks Naruto." Sakura smiled back.

"Sasuke….I'll keep an eye on you." Naruto glared.

Sasuke smirked. "Got it."

Kakashi watched the couple. He saw the way Sakura smiled as she hugged Sasuke's arm. He looked down at her hand; it was still holding Sasuke's. A strange feeling overcame him at that moment.

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**Kakashi's P.O.V**

Here I was, walking with Naruto. Then I saw at the distance 2 figures that were coming our way. At first I didn't recognize them but as they closed in, I realized who they were. It was Sasuke and Sakura. But what caught my eyes, was how they were walking. I quickly noticed that they were holding hands. How? Or better yet, when did it happen? Sasuke had only returned yesterday and, he and Sakura were already together? I felt something inside me; something I couldn't describe. Naruto obviously hadn't noticed so I pretended to not notice either.

Naruto took shorter to notice it than I had expected. Still, something as unexpected as this is sure to bring immediate attention. Naruto was appalled by it, the same way I was. Of course, unlike Naruto, I stayed level-headed.

I watched as Sakura hugged Sasuke's arm. The smile she had in her face was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. How long had it been since I last saw her smile like that? I could see how her eyes shinned as she looked at Sasuke. Sasuke blushed and looked away but, that was Sasuke way of showing that he felt the same. I looked at how Sakura's hand hold Sasuke's firmly. I still didn't understand what had happen yesterday. Apparently, all went well. Sakura had recovered from her trauma and Sasuke had realized he had feelings for her. Of course, I felt happy for Sakura. There's nothing I want more than to see her happy; to see her smile. Than again, that's what I've always wanted from the very beginning.

Sakura had always been someone unique to me. I didn't saw her as just my student. She was an incredible girl that had a lot of potential. Although as a pre-teen girl it was expected from her to be interested more in boys than being a ninja herself. But, I saw how Sakura grew. How she matured and blossom into an amazing young girl. She had always been special but, it all felt wrong. Sakura was merely 12 years-old and I was 26. Still, I would always notice how her cheeks would get rosy when she smiled, how her eyes shinned when she was happy or excited, how the sun would highlight her smooth pink hair, and how I smiled whenever I saw her smile. But I knew this was all wrong. I kept denying myself the fact that she made me feel different inside. I shouldn't feel like this. I would keep saying to myself that she was like my daughter, if any. That's what she was. Sakura loved Sasuke and that's how things ought to be. And I would always be her teacher.

Still, as I watched Sakura hold Sasuke's hand and embrace his arm, I couldn't help but wish that I was the one who Sakura was holding and embracing. I wanted to be the one that would bring upon her that beautiful smile that I hadn't seen in such a long time. I wished to be the one who would make her happy. She was happy before Sasuke returned but now that he had, I could see how it lightened Sakura's world. Sakura's wishes came true and she couldn't be happier. That's how I wanted things for her. My only endurance in all this is how Sakura addresses me as. She adds 'sensei' to my name. This shows me that I will always be her sensei and that gives me endurance. I know nothing could ever happen between us. She's 17, I'm 31. As long as she addressees me as 'sensei', my feelings won't get in the way and I would keep living in denial. It's better this way. Besides, if I let these feelings get the best of me I would only confuse Sakura and this would bring emotional problems to her. I don't want that for her.

Sakura…be happy with Sasuke. You belong with him.

Sasuke…make Sakura happy. She deserves it.

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**A few weeks later**

Sasuke went to Sakura's house, where her parents lived and her elder sister. Sakura's parents had invited Sauske for dinner. Sakura's mother had long reddish-brown hair and green eyes; her husband had short dark brown hair and onyx eyes. Sakura's elder sister, Lilly, had long pinkish-red hair and onyx eyes. She was only 6 years older than Sakura.

Sakura had moved to live on her own 2 years ago. Since Sakura was a medic, she was constantly called to the hospital. In order to not cause disturbances to her parents and to Lilly, it was agreed that she was going to live in a well-suited apartment for her. That way, if there's an emergency late at night or she had to spend the night in the hospital working, her family wouldn't be bothered. Still, Sakura would visit her family everyday and always ate with them. Both her parents were jounins and Lilly was a chunnin.

When they first knew of Sakura and Sasuke's relationship, they all felt uncomfortable with it. They didn't like to see Sasuke, let alone invite him over. In fact, Lilly thought she was being foolish and naïve. They perfectly knew what Sakura went through and didn't want to see her go through with it again. Still, they saw Sasuke was ashamed and accepted him. They could see how happy and jovial Sakura was with Sasuke and there wasn't anything else they wanted for her. Sakura's happiness was their only wish and Sasuke had given her that.

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After eating dinner and spending time with Sakura's family, Sasuke walked Sakura to her apartment. It was almost midnight.

Sakura opened the door. "Wanna come in Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke nodded.

Sakura turned on the light and put her keys on top of the kitchen counter.

They went to Sakura's small living room which was the next room. The front door was the kitchen room, straight ahead there was the living room and on the right it was Sakura's bedroom.

As soon as they entered the living room, Sasuke grabbed Sakura and kissed her. Sakura closed her eyes and returned the kiss. Sasuke pressed Sakura's body against his own, feeling her chest and warmth. He put his hand around her waist and the other behind her head, feeling her soft pink hair through his fingers. Sakura had her arms around his neck, and she felt Sasuke's hair as well. As they kissed passionately, Sasuke tried to make passage into Sakura's mouth. Feeling Sasuke's attempt, she allowed it. Sasuke's tongue started exploring the inside of Sakura's mouth. This wasn't the first time but he still did as if it was. He moved his tongue and touched everywhere inside Sakura's mouth; every corner was being touched by Sasuke's tongue. He loved the taste Sakura's mouth would leave in his tongue afterwards. It was a pleasurable taste. Once Sasuke was done, Sakura came next, though she was gentler than Sasuke. Her tongue explored Sasuke's mouth softly. She would move it around like a feather, searching around. But she let it out in a few seconds. Still, she liked Sasuke's taste.

After exchanging kisses through the mouth, Sasuke started to lower them. He started to kiss Sakura's cheek, and then he would kiss down her neck. He tightened his embrace, feeling Sakura's chest even more and her thighs brush against his. He smelled Sakura's neck and the hair that was in the way; that sweet, sweet smell of strawberries that she would always have; the smell he liked and wanted. Sakura moaned softly as she felt his soft hot lips brushing against her skin, almost licking her. She felt her body hot of the rushing blood as well as Sasuke's racing heartbeat. Sasuke could feel Sakura's as well. But then, she felt that Sasuke would keep lowering his kisses to her collarbone, and his hand was already down to her backside. She knew what he wanted at the moment.

Sakura backed away.

"What's going on?" Sasuke asked.

"I-I'm sorry Sauske-kun but…I'm not ready for this." Sakura said, holding her hands.

"But Sakura…I love you and you love me. What's wrong with it? Don't you want this?" Sasuke said.

"I do but…I feel like I'm not ready. I do love you Sasuke-kun…but, I still need a little more time to take this step. I'm sorry…but…but please be patient." Sakura responded.

Sasuke looked away and nodded. Sakura looked into his eyes; he was disappointed. She could understand. Still, this wasn't the first time Sasuke had tried to have sex with her. But every time he tried, Sakura would stop him. She loved Sasuke but, she felt her body wasn't ready for that. It hurt her to reject him, especially after she would see Sasuke's disappointed face. She just hoped Sasuke would understand her.

Sasuke headed towards the front door. Sakura hugged him for behind.

"I'm sorry Sauske-kun…" she said whispering. "…but I do love you. You know that, right?"

Sauske nodded "Don't worry about it, all right? It's ok."

Sakura tightened her embrace. "Please don't go…"

"Sakura…I have to go to my apartment." Sasuke replied.

"I know but…" Sakura dug her face in Sasuke's back. "Promise me that you won't leave me…"

Sasuke turned and cupped her chin. "I won't."

Sakura gazed at Sasuke's onyx eyes. His eyes gleamed as they gazed at her; such solemn pupils that would hypnotize Sakura into an endless vortex of dreams and feelings. If she could, she would stay lost in his onyx orbs. Sakura hugged him. Sasuke returned the hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Sakura asked resting her face in his shoulder.

"Yes." Sasuke responded resting his face as well in Sakura's opposite shoulder.

Sakura watched as the front door would cover Sasuke's face. What was this feeling? She would always feel this when ever Sasuke left at night. It was the same feeling she had 5 years ago; the feeling she had that night. She felt as if Sasuke would leave her again. So she would always ask the same thing. "I'll see you tomorrow, right". Sasuke's answered assured her that they will see each other and that he won't leave her. She put her faith in Sasuke words. She knew he wouldn't leave her. Sasuke had returned and he was with her. He loved her. This was just a past feeling that should remain in the past. She knew she was just being paranoid. But the thought still scared her.

_Sasuke-kun…I'll see you tomorrow._

With that, she headed towards her room.

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**A/N:** Well, chapter 6 it's on its way. Things are going smoother than expected. Don't forget to review. Any suggestions, constructive criticism or tips are welcomed.


	6. Chapter 6: First Tragedy

**A/N:** Now, here the _real_ story begins. Again, sorry if there are some grammatical errors and if my vocabulary isn't so big.

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**Chapter 6:** First Tragedy

**Sakura's P.O.V**

I am now 18; being 18 means that you're one year closer to womanhood. It's a year of happiness and joy. Or at least, that's what it's supposed to be. My year as an 18-year-old is far from joyful. In fact, I wished that year would've never arrived.

It all started a month after my 18th birthday. My parents had left for a mission.

I was working at the hospital as usual. I was checking a patient that had gotten yesterday out of an operation. Suddenly, one of the nurses entered the room.

"Sakura-san!" the nurse cried.

"What is it?" I asked; wondering what the emergency could be.

"Is your parents; they are in a horrible shape." She said anxiously.

I couldn't think of anything else besides what had happened. I left the patient with the nurse and ran towards the emergency room where my parents were. There were 2 nurses and Tsunade entered with me at the same time. I looked at my parents. I gasped as I saw the horrible scene that lay before me. It wasn't the first time I had seen something like this but having my parents be the one was something different. I felt my blood and body turn cold by the second, my hands trembled of both fear and shock, my heart started racing, and I started feeling a bit nauseous.

Both my mother and father's face were barely recognizable with all the blood that covered them. Their skins were crimson, their faces had splats of blood in them, and their eyes were closed. Both of my parent's clothing had holes all over his body.

"Quickly! Take their clothes off!" Tsunade ordered.

The nurses stripped the fallen jounins. And then I saw, my mother's and father's bodies almost dismembered. Holes covered them, from their chest, to their arms, all the way towards their legs. Blood flowed from their sides, like a waterfall and down to the medic bed; turning the white sheets crimson. I could see as the holes could allow me to get a glimpse of the internal layer of their bodies. Some of their skin was peeled off; allowing me to see my parent's skin with a mixture of the colors pink, red and skin-color. My father's leg was twisted; the sinew was torn apart. My mother's arms were out of place and she had her shoulder dislocated and twisted. I could clearly see the bone outside and how it made a lump, creating a grotesque sight. My vision became blurry, because of the tears that filled my eyes as I saw my dying parents in the medic bed.

I saw Tsunade walk towards my father. I assumed she was going to try and save him. So, I rushed towards my mother. The image was even worse up-close. Keeping my head cool, I attended my mother. I looked at her mutilated body and harnessed my chakra. I started by healing what I could see from above. I healed her skin, her bruises and I positioned her shoulder to its place. Now, I had to work on her internal injuries. I harnessed all my chakra into my hands and started to try and heal her. The most important thing was to make the bleeding stop.

As I sweat and kept harnessing my chakra into my mother's body I noticed that the bleeding wasn't stopping and what I could see of her internal injuries were no different than before. I let out even more of my chakra, but nothing. 

_No…no…no…this can't happen… _

I started to breath rapidly. My body started feeling anxious, my heartbeat increased and I felt a sense of frustration in me.

_Come on…please…_

_Why won't it stop? Why won't the bleeding stop? Why won't the injuries heal? No! I can't be too late, she came here and Tsunade is here with me. No…no! _

My eyes were welling with tears once more.

_Mother…no…_

I felt Tsunade's hand in my right shoulder. I looked at her. She shook her head.

"Sorry Sakura but…it's too late."

_No…no...it wasn't. I just have to use more chakra._

"Sakura, is futile! You're only damaging yourself!" Tsunade cried.

"No! I'm going to save her! I have to! Dammit! Why won't the bleeding stop?! WHY?!!" I cried back.

"Sakura! Enough!" Tsunade said.

"NO!!" I cried, with tears falling down my cheeks. "Dammit! Stop bleeding! STOP!!"

Then I felt Tsunade's hands in top of mine.

"Sakura…she was dead ever since she arrived here; they both were" Tsunade said with soft and sorry voice.

"No…no…mom…dad…NO!!!" With that, I felt on her knees to the floor, and my crimson hands in my head and I started sobbing and crying. I felt my heart being strangled and twisted. I felt my stomach turned upside down; my body felt heavy. So heavy that I thought someone had dropped a boulder on me. I couldn't talk nor breathe. I laid my head down to the floor and rolled up into a ball with my hands in my belly and kept wailing. Tsunade kneeled beside me and laid her hand my head for comfort. But she knew she couldn't do anything. My parents were dead and…and never had a chance to save them.

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Today was the day of the funeral. Sakura was in her parent's house getting dressed. She wore a black dress. It had her neck naked and her collarbone as well; the sleeves were short and its length was up to her knees; her shoes were simple black flats. She tied her hair up into a ponytail. Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. Here eyes were swollen and she had eye sacks. Her parents had died yesterday. Sakura spend the whole day in her room weeping. She couldn't sleep because whenever she closed her eyes, images of her parent's mutilated bodies would invade her mind. All the blood, splattered everywhere in the bed, the holes in their bodies, their crimson skin and their pale faces…and she wasn't able to save them.

Sakura exited her room and saw Lilly right across the hallway. Lilly's dress was similar to Sakura's except that it was a bit longer and she had longer sleeves. She also had her hair tied up in a ponytail. Lilly looked at Sakura with sad eyes and they both went downstairs.

The funeral was kept small. Only the close friends and family came. The room had dim lights and had bouquets of white roses all over. You entered at the back and at front, laid the coffins of Sakura's parents; one laid at one extreme and the other was facing.

Sakura and Lilly sat at the front row; Lilly being at Sakura's right and Sasuke was at her left holding her hand. Both girls looked at their parent's coffins, hoping that this was a nightmare.

Everyone bowed at Sakura and Lilly, showing their respects for their grief: Hinata, Neji, Ino, Izumo, Kotetsu, etc.

Naruto walked towards Sakura. He looked at her.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked at him with melancholic eyes.

"I just wanted you to know that I'll always be here for you, all right? Don't forget that." Naruto said.

Sakura nodded in reply. Then, Naruto hugged her tightly and Sakura returned the hug. She burst into tears. She tightened her embrace; Naruto allowed her tears to flow into his shoulder. He closed his eyes as tears started to fill his eyes as well. It pained him to see his beloved sister-like figure suffering like this.

Sakura softly pulled away and turned to Sasuke. Sasuke hold her as she cried the last of tears in his chest. Sasuke's arms embraced her head as he would feel Sakura mumble her cries in his black shirt and soaking it with her tears.

Kakashi was in the far behind of the room. He watched as Sakura held onto Sasuke, crying her eyes out. It was hard to see Sakura like that. It pained him to see her cry. He wanted to comfort her but, what could he say? Tsunade had told him how it had happened; how Sakura saw her dead parents and how she blames herself for not being able to save them. Just by imagining Sakura's torn self at the moment she saw her dead parents, caused a knot in his throat. Sakura had gone through a lot and just when he thought that things would go smoothly for her, this tragedy occurs.

_Sakura…_

He walked towards the front row were Sakura was with Sasuke.

"Sakura…"

Sasuke pulled Sakura away softly. Sakura looked at Kakashi with tears still in her eyes.

It was even hard for him just to see one tear in her eyes. Seeing the cheerful Sakura with a sorrowful face, her bright smile turn into cries, her green, gleaming eyes red and swollen; it all crushed him inside. He would do anything, whatever it took to get that bright smile, those gleaming eyes and the cheerful face of hers back. Even if he had to give up his own life, he would gladly do it for her. He was willing to do the preposterous for her.

"Don't blame yourself Sakura. It wasn't your fault; it never was." He placed his hand on her head. Sakura hugged him as gratitude.

"Thank you." She said with a breaking voice.

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Only few people remained in the room. Lilly had already left. She said she needed to be alone for a while.

Neji and Hinata walked towards Sakura.

"We have to go now Sakura-chan." Hinata said.

Sakura nodded. "Thanks for coming." She gave them a fade grin; it hurt.

Hinata hugged Sakura. "I'll always be here if you need me."

Sakura returned the hug.

Neji hugged Sakura as well after Hinata pulled away. "If you ever need anything don't hesitate to come to me, al right?"

Sakura nodded. "Thanks."

The Hyuugas waved at them and exited the room.

Next were Kotetsu, and Izumo.

"Well, we better get going." Kotetsu said.

"You'll always have our backs if you ever need anything." Izumo added.

Sakura nodded with another painful fade grin. "Thank you."

They both exited. Following them was Ino.

Ino quickly hugged her best friend as tightly as possible. Sakura closed her eyes; she held her tears.

"Be strong Sakura. But, you can still count on me." Ino said grinning.

"Thanks Ino." Sakura replied.

Ino waved and departed.

"Sakura…" Kakashi said from behind. "We have to leave now. They are closing the place soon." 

Sakura nodded. She walked up towards her parent's coffin. She saw how peaceful they looked, as if nothing had ever happened to them. As if they had never experienced the pain they did before they took their last breath. Their faces looked as if they were dreaming; sleeping soundly in a deep slumber. A single tear rolled down her face. She swallowed and turned. There she saw Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke waiting for her at the door. It comforted her to see them. She knew that even if her parent's had died, she still had her teammates, her friends and her sister to be with her. She wasn't alone.

Sakura walked towards them. She looked behind at her deceased parents and with that, she closed the door.

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Naruto and Kakashi had already left to their apartments. Sasuke stayed to walk Sakura home. Sakura had decided to live with Lilly in her parent's house. It was better of they stayed together after this tragedy.

Sasuke stopped at Sakura's porch. He cupped her chin and had her eyes meet his. He saw how Sakura's eyes had lost their shine. They were opaque now and swollen.

"Sakura…" With that, he kissed her. Again, Sasuke had the same desire he always did. He wanted Sakura. But he knew this wasn't the moment. Sakura was in sorrow and if she didn't want to before, it was out of the question that she wouldn't do it now; so he pulled away slowly, though reluctantly.

Sakura caressed his face and embraced him and asked him the same question as always.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yes." Sasuke replied returning the embrace.

Sakura felt his warm and strong arms around her. Being like this with him was all the comfort she needed. Feeling his chest against her, warming her, feeling his heartbeat; that's all she wanted at the moment.

Sakura closed her eyes and rested her head against Sasuke's chest. She wished that moment didn't end. She knew that once she rested her head in her pillow, nightmares of her parent's would fill her mind; haunting her. If only this was just a nightmare; she hoped that once she went to sleep, at morning she was going to her parent's voices at the kitchen; her mother cooking breakfast, her father hearing the radio and Lilly taking her usual morning bath. Everything going back to normal like it should. If only…but, it was far from being. And it hurt Sakura to admit it. A tear rolled down her face and she sobbed. She was right though, this was a nightmare; but it was real.

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**A/N:** I tried making this chapter very sad. It was harder than I thought actually but hopefully, it went well. Please review and tell me what you think in how I projected this tragedy. Now, I do hope chapter 7 turns out the way I imagined it. I'm guessing it'll be a bit tougher but I'll try my best.


	7. Chapter 7: Betrayal

**A/N: **Wow…thanks a lot for the reviews of the previous chap. I didn't really expect it would be so good…honestly. Thanks again! Now here's chap 7. Took me sometime to develop but here it is. I do hope it's all to your liking. Again, sorry of my vocab isn't so big.

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**Chapter 7:** Betrayal

"Well, you seem to be recovering faster than expected." Sakura was looking at the booklet that had the patient's data. "You'll be out of here before you know it. Just be sure to keep taking care of yourself like you have until now and all will be fine."

"Thanks Haruno-san." The patient gladly said.

"No problem." Sakura said smiling.

I had been a week since her parents died. Although the first days Sakura stayed at her parents house with Lilly, she decided to go back to work at the hospital. She knew that sulking wasn't going to do any good. Besides, she was getting everyone else worried. She resumed her lifestyle as it was, trying to keep her smile. But, it hurt when she did. The pain of her loss was still present and all she felt like doing was just to stay at home, still she decided to do her best and be strong.

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"Shizune." Tsunade called; she was writing.

Shizune entered the office holding a folder. "Yes?"

"Tell Sakura to bring me the report on the hospital by the end of the day."

Shizune nodded. "I'll tell her right away. Speaking of which Tsunade-sama, Sakura seems to be handling her situation rather well. Although it is natural that she's still sad, she is up and down with her duties at the hospital. She's even taking a few extra shifts."

Tsunade paused from writing. "No…she's far from ok."

Shizune looked at Tsunade confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know Sakura, Shizune. Although mentally, she's sometimes weak she's also the kind of girl that can be reserved at times. Sakura isn't handling the situation well. She's still in sorrow about what happened; she just doesn't want to show it. She doesn't want us to worry about her. And about those extra shifts…they are just to keep her busy. She doesn't want others to go through what she did. Sakura wants to help everyone that's in the hospital."

Tsunade rested her arms in the desk.

"When someone goes through the situation Sakura did, it causes an emotional and mental disturbance. They want to help all others around them, the way they couldn't with their own. They think that everyone's life is at their hands and if they fail to save them, then they can't face with the fact that another life was lost because of them. Sakura doesn't blame herself about her parent's death like before, but she does think that if she can't save the people at the hospital then she'll fail as a medic. Is complicated but, that's how powerful the mind is."

Shizune's expression changed from confused, to sad. She imagined what Sakura must be feeling inside; struggling with her sadness, putting on a fake smile, pretending that all is well, when the truth is far from that.

_Sakura-san…_

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Naruto and Sakura were sitting at a bench. Naruto was at Sakura's right.

"Hey, you know where that loser of Sasuke is? I haven't seen him today." Naruto asked.

"He's doing his community service. I don't know when he's done though." Sakura answered.

"Oh right. What about Lilly? Haven't seen her either."

"Lilly? Well, now that I think about it I haven't seen her that much either. She's always busy doing something. Oh well, at least it takes her mind out of everything." Sakura said

"So, how have you been Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

Sakura grinned. "I'm doing well."

Naruto looked at her unconvinced. "I don't believe you."

"What do you mean? I'm doing ok, really." Sakura laughed nervously.

"Sakura-chan…I know you too well. You can't fool me." Naruto looked at Sakura right in the eyes.

Sakura saw how his unconvinced sky-blue eyes were locked in her green eyes. He was right.

Sakura sighed. "I guess I can't fool you, now can I?"

"It's just hard; all of this. I mean…when I wake up I realize that the only two people in the house are Lilly and I. The only voices heard in the house are me and Lilly's. It…it feels empty, you know? Sometimes I even feel lonely." Sakura continued with a nostalgic expression.

Naruto stared at Sakura. He knew it hurt her losing her parent's and that she was still sad. But despite all that, she tries to put on a show and pretend it's all alright. That really bothered him about her, there were times when she wouldn't tell what she was feeling and she would hide it just because she didn't want others to worry about her. This was one of those rare occasions.

Naruto put his arms around Sakura and embraced her.

"You're never alone, Sakura-chan. Never. I'll always be here for you; me, Kakashi, Sasuke…everyone. So don't say that you're lonely, 'cuz you aren't."

Sakura returned his hug and put her arms around him as well. Being with Naruto comfort her. He was like the brother she never had. He was always there for her when she needed him and somehow, he knew exactly what to say to her; thought he's most of the time oblivious. She knew that whatever girl became his girlfriend, she would be the luckiest and happiest girl ever.

"Thanks, Naruto…for everything. I love you."

"I love you too Sakura-chan." Naruto replied.

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**3 weeks later**

It was night. Sakura was standing in the balcony, in her pink pajamas with her hands resting on top of the handle. There was a small plant on the far left corner. Sakura looked outside; the wind blowing on her hair and face, the moon shining beside the trees, the few stars that were visible and the sound of the crickets.

Sakura was lost in thought but all that dispersed when she heard a small sound coming from the hallway.

Sakura went inside her room and headed towards the hallway. When she came downstairs, she saw Lilly heading towards the door, with a big bag in her back. Also, her attire that gave the appearance she was going to hike or something; it was some khaki pants with a black short-sleeved shirt, and ninja shoes.

"Lilly?" Sakura called out.

Lilly, stunned, stopped.

_Shit_

She turned facing Sakura.

"Um…what are you doing?" Sakura asked; her eyes went up and down as she looked at Lilly.

"I-uh…I'm leaving." Lilly responded.

"Leaving? Oh…you mean you're going on a mission, right? In that case, you ought to wear your ninja outfit and your headband and maybe some-"

Lilly interrupted Sakura.

"No. I'm not going on a mission. I'm leaving Konoha."

Sakura's face changed as she swallowed her sister's strong words. They sounded familiar. Where had she heard them before? Then, an image of the 12-year-old Sasuke flashed through her already disturbed mind. Of course, how could she have forgotten? Sasuke left a night similar to this one. Reviewing the last thought, she stared at Lilly's emotionless face with wide eyes.

"But…but, why?"

Lilly closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.

"Because this is what I want. I'm tired of this place. No…I'm sick of it. I don't wanna be here anymore. I never wanted to be a ninja in the first place, but of course I couldn't say that. Father and Mother wanted us to become ninjas, if I didn't I'll only disappoint them."

"But…you were great as a ninja. Then why…?"

Lilly interrupted Sakura again.

"It's called an act, Sakura. I pretended to like it but truthfully, I hated it. I hate this place, it's pathetic. You have no idea how many times I've thought of how to escape. Of course, I never had the chance. But now that I finally do, I'm not going to let this opportunity bypass me. I spend this time preparing my escape and this is the time to do it. I'm leaving to a village far from here and I'm going to make my new life with my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Sakura looked at Lilly bewildered. As far as she knew, Lilly never had a boyfriend here.

"Yes." Lilly replied. "I met him during a mission. We keep in touch secretly but not constantly. I couldn't leave before cuz if I did, everyone would consider it treason. In any case, I'm going to live with him. Goodbye Sakura."

Lilly's words penetrated Sakura's mind. Sakura was too confused about all this to think straight. Why was Lilly leaving? An act? A boyfriend? She hates it here? Sakura's mind became flooded with questions when she heard the creaking door open.

Sakura ran towards Lilly and clung to her arm.

"Please! Please don't leave me Lilly!"

"I'm leaving Sakura. I already told you." Lilly said.

"No please…please….I-I need you Lilly. I need you now more than ever. Please…don't leave me…" Sakura begged wit her voice breaking.

Lilly tried freeing herself from Sakura's arms but no success.

"Sakura! I'm going to make my life. I never had the chance before but now that our parents' are gone this is my opportunity!"

"So you're saying that our parent's death was a blessing to you?!" Sakura cried.

"Don't bend my words Sakura! I never said that! I'm…I'm just as sad as you are but unlike you, I'm not going to mope around about it. They are gone…but that doesn't mean that I have to be bound by the life they had. I pleased them while they were alive. Now…I'm gonna do what I want." Lilly said with a firm voice.

"No! Don't leave me Lilly, please! I'm begging you…I need you." Sakura begged with tears welling in her eyes. "At least…at least take me with you."

"I can't." Lilly replied.

"Why not?!" Sakura demanded.

"Because you're the top medic here! If you're gone missing Tsunade will surely sent ninjas to look for you without a moment's thought. And if they find you, they'll find me as well and bring me back. I can't afford that. You coming with me will only be a hindrance and a burden. I'm going to make my life by myself without you. I'm sorry Sakura…but that's how things are. You are strong, and you know how to take care of yourself. If you were able to handle when Sasuke left then you can handle this. Good bye Sakura, forever. I'll make sure we don't cross paths ever again." Lilly said; finally she was able to free herself from Sakura and left.

Sakura kneeled on the floor; tears rolling down her cheeks.

"No…Lilly! Please…please don't' leave me! Lilly!"

Lilly ignored her. Sakura saw as the figure that was once her sister slowly shrunk in the dark distance outside. Sakura held out her hand, trying to reach out to Lilly; suddenly the distant figure of Lilly transformed into Sasuke. Sakura's eyes widened and became gape. Her body became like jelly and she started breathing hard. That night flashed in her eyes once more as she saw what looked like Sasuke depart from right in front of her eyes. She reached out her hand once more, begging and crying.

"Don't leave me! Please…don't! I need you!"

A night she thought she'll never have to witness again was happening. Her sister was gone, and she couldn't stop her.

She lowered her trembling hand and lay down on the floor. Lilly's words were still clung to her mind. As she thought about them, they were like venom to her ears and more tears engulfed her face.

"Lilly…don't leave me…please…please…"

Soon, she couldn't talk anymore as her words were suffocated in her wails. Lilly had abandoned her, forever.

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Sakura ran outside through the dark and solitary village. Her tears would flow back as the wind wouldn't allow them to touch her already stained face. Right now, she wanted Sasuke; she needed to see him.

She went to his apartment and knocked loudly at the door.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura said with a cry stuck in her throat.

No one answered.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice broke. Again, no answer.

She knocked once more and she slowly slide to the floor, kneeling and sobbing. A thunder exploded and rain started to pour.

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Kakashi was at his bed watching television, when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. He was in his boxers, so he quickly put on a long T-shirt as he walked towards the front door.

"Coming."

When Kakashi opened the door, his eyes widened as he saw a soaked and droopy-faced Sakura stand in front of his door.

Kakashi looked at her shocked by seeing what lay in front of his eyes.

"Sakura…w-what-"

He was cut off by Sakura when she threw herself and her arms around him. She sobbed in his shirt; grasping the back of his shirt as tight as she could.

Kakashi stood confused for a moment and didn't know how to react. He felt Sakura's cold, wet body against his. After staring at her for a moment, he put his arms around her. Kakashi put his hand on top of her head; he felt her soaked pink hair and caressed it. He didn't know what was going on, or better yet what could've caused Sakura to be like this. But, all he knew at that moment was that Sakura is in despair and that she needed him now. All answers to his questions will have to wait.

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Sakura sat in Kakashi's couch. She had a towel around her shoulder and was wearing a white t-shirt. Obviously, the shirt was loose since it didn't fit her; but it covered her. She sat there, looking at whatever was in front of her with red swollen eyes and an emotionless face.

Kakashi came with 2 cups filled with hot chocolate. There was a desk in front of the couch. He put one cup in front of Sakura and one in front of himself and sat beside Sakura.

"Sorry…for barging in like this, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura said with a monotonous tone.

"No, it's ok. I don't mind at all." Kakashi responded.

Sakura took her cup of hot chocolate and took a sip. The drink was hot; warming the inside of her cold, humid body. Although the warmth was momentarily, she still felt cold.

Kakashi sat and drank a sip from his cup. He was unsure of what to say first. Sakura was here, with him. She had come soaking wet, with her eyes swollen and her face all stiff and droopy. After she had cried at his door, her face changed into an emotionless one. She just sat looking at whatever was in front of her and holding the towel that was over her shoulders. He _had_ to know what happened.

"I know this is a bit too soon to ask so I won't blame you if you won't answer me but…what happened?"

Sakura didn't answer for a moment. She held her cup in both her hands and looked at the brown liquid in front of her.

"L-Lilly…she…she left Konoha." Sakura answered; almost whispering.

Kakashi was able to hear it though; but he couldn't believe it.

"W-what?" Kakashi had to ask again; he had to make sure he hadn't heard wrong though he was praying that he had.

"Lilly left Konoha…a few hours ago. She…she left me…" Sakura repeated.

"She said she hated it here and wanted to make a life of her own with her boyfriend...a life were I didn't exist. Because…according to her…I…I'm a burden." Sakura's voice broke.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

She threw herself at Kakashi once more.

"Kakashi-sensei…am…am I really a burden?" Sakura looked at Kakashi's eyes, which was the only thing she could see considering that his mask covered the rest of his face; tears welled in her eyes.

"Am I?"

Kakashi gazed at the helpless girl that was embracing him. His onyx eye and crimson eye were fixed on Sakura's swollen and wet green eyes.

"Never. You've never been a burden." He put his hand on top of her head.

Kakashi cupped her chin.

"Listen to me. What your sister did and said was insensitive. A true sister would never do that. Lilly knows how much you need her and yet, because of her selfishness she left you. She doesn't deserve to be called your sister. Elder siblings ought to protect their younger siblings from getting hurt; Lilly ended up hurting you."

His blood rushed through his body. Kakashi became compelled with a series of emotions he had felt before. The same he felt when Sasuke left. Seeing Sakura's sad eyes fixed on his own, as if they were clinging to what little life they had, caused a tornado of feelings to form inside of him; feelings of anger, hate, and frustration compelled him.

Sakura dug her face in Kakashi's shirt and sobbed. Kakashi put his arms around her, and allowed her to cling onto him. If that made her feel better, he would stay like that as long as she wanted.

"Just cry Sakura…I'll stay here." Kakashi whispered.

He felt her trembling and cold body as he heard her cries in mumble. He noticed how small her body was. Sakura had always been petite but right now, he was able to notice how fragile and small she felt. Her whole body almost fit inside his embrace.

Sakura felt her body being pressed against his own. She felt sudden warmth coming from him; she could feel his strong arms around her small body. It comforted her; in such a way that she never wanted to part from him. Sakura's cries slowly deceased. Sakura began to close her tired eyes. A strange feeling entered her mind. Despite it all, she felt at peace; a peace she hadn't felt in some time. Dare say that it was a different peace than when she was being held by Sasuke. Soon, before she knew it, as she was lost in thought, she fell asleep. She just wanted to stay like this, at least for this night. She knows Sasuke would understand.

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**Kakashi's P.O.V**

Here I was, with Sakura in my arms. I could feel in my shirt and chest how her mouth would mumble her cries and how her tears would wet my shirt. She clutch to my shirt, as if she was clinging to whatever she had left to hold.

Seeing her cry always made me feel helpless. I didn't know what to say to her, I didn't know what she wanted to hear. I just let my instincts do everything. I put my arms around her. Her body was still cold and I noticed how small it was. This wasn't the first time I've hugged her, but I never really paid attention to how she felt in my arms. Now, I know. Her body felt so small, and she was curled a bit by the cold which made her even more petite. I felt how Sakura trembled in my arms. Was it the cold or was she scared? I didn't know. I pressed her body against mine with the hope that the warmth in my body would disperse the cold in hers. She felt like a fragile, small creature that was desperately looking for protection and trying to grasp whatever small hope she could find for her already broken spirit.

I felt a hot feeling inside of me. A chill crawled up my spine as I felt Sakura's body. I had never had this physical contact with her. I could feel her chest on mine. I controlled my feelings though. Now it wasn't the time. If Sakura felt my uneasiness, it wound only make her uncomfortable and that's the last thing she wants at the moment.

I felt how her mumbles started to decrease. Her cries had stopped and so did her sobs. She had stopped trembling and her body wasn't as stiff as before. I looked at her face; she had fallen asleep.

Carefully, I picked her up bridal-style and carried her to my bedroom. Her body felt so light; like a feather. I gently lay her down in my bed. I took out a blanket from my closet and covered her. I stared at the young woman that rested in front of my eyes. It reminded me of the sleeping beauty. Despite all this, when she slept she looked so peaceful. Even if her face was stained from her tears, it was still smooth and perfect. I brushed away the hair that covered her eyes. I noticed now something else. Her cheeks were a bit hollow, meaning that she hasn't eaten much. I slowly leaned towards her; my covered lips almost touched against hers but at the last second I recoiled. No, I couldn't do this. No. I am her former teacher. That's how she saw me and I shall see her as just my former student.

With that, I turned towards the door. I took one last look at the sleeping beauty that rested in my bed; I opened the door and closed it behind me.

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It was morning. The sun rays passed through the curtains from Kakashi's balcony window and shined in Sakura's face. Sakura strained her face and stretched. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a room that was all but hers. For a moment she got scared.

_Where am I? _

Then, images from last night flashed through her mind.

_Of right, I went to see Kakashi yesterday after…_

Once she remembered the reason she had come here in the first place, her face saddened.

She hugged her legs and rested her chin on them.

_Lilly…_

She then, turned her head and noticed a paper in a small drawer that lay beside the bed.

_Sakura,_

_I'm going to do some errands for the day. There's food on the fridge so you can help yourself with anything you want. You can stay here as long as you like. There's a fresh towel in the bathroom if you want to take a shower. I'll be back around the afternoon if not evening._

_Kakashi._

_PS. Don't worry. I slept on the couch last night. I swear. _

A small grin appeared on Sakura's face.

_Kakashi-sensei…_

She looked at the clock beside the letter. It was 2 in the afternoon.

_Wow…I've been asleep this long._

With a sigh she laid on the bed again; the image of Lilly leaving at the dark night invaded her mind once more. A lone tear rolled down her face.

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Sakura stayed all day long at Kakashi's apartment. She took a bath and helped herself to some food. A while later, Kakashi returned and they ate dinner. It was going to be midnight soon.

Kakashi was at the bed watching television.

"Well, I think I ought to be going back to my apartment." Sakura said.

"Right now? I mean…it's the middle of the night. I have no problem with you staying here another night." Kakashi replied.

"Nah, it's ok. I was going to go back today anyways. I was just waiting until it was night. I really didn't want to go out at day and see people. Didn't really felt like answering questions, you know?" Sakura lowered her head a little and her grin started to have a sad appearance; Kakashi noticed.

Kakashi walked her towards the front door and opened it.

"Be careful, all right?" He said holding the door.

Sakura smiled and nodded; she went outside. After taking a few steps she stopped and turned towards Kakashi.

"Kakashi…"

"Hm." He responded.

"Thank you." Sakura said with a soft and gentle voice.

Kakashi made a single nod and grinned in return.

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Sakura was walking through the village. The lights were on but they were dim. The almost dark village gave a ghastly atmosphere. The wind felt familiar. As she walked and saw through the horizon before her, again, the image of Lilly appeared before her.

She stopped and lowered her head. The feeling was the same she felt the night before, when Lilly left. It was still fresh in her mind and so were her words.

_I'm tired of this place._

_I never wanted to be a ninja in the first place._

_I'm just as sad as you are but unlike you, I'm not going to mope around about it._

_You coming with me will only be a hindrance and a burden. I'm going to make my life by myself without you. I'm sorry Sakura…but that's how things are. _

_Good bye Sakura, forever. I'll make sure we don't cross paths ever again._

Sakura bit her lip and held her tears.

She resumed her walk towards her apartment but, she felt like she needed something.

_Sasuke-kun…I need Sasuke-kun._

Sakura went to search for Sasuke. Kakashi had given her all the comfort she aspired the night before, now she wanted to feel Sasuke's comfort. Sakura ran to the direction Sasuke's apartment was. As she ran, she prayed that he was there.

_Sasuke-kun wasn't in his apartment last night. I don't know where he could've gone. But…now that I think about it, this has been going on for a few days now. I wonder why._

She desperately ran through the solitary village. Then, at an ally, she caught a glimpse of two figures. Sakura stopped to see who it was. And there she saw, a scene she wished she would've never witnessed, a scene were she would've preferred to die rather than to watch it; a scene that will change her life forever.

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**A/N**: Long, ne? Didn't expect it to be this long. Anyhows, please review and tell me what do you think regarding on how I projected Sakura and Kakashi's feelings. Question, are Kakashi and Sakura OOC? It's been bothering me for a while...(3)


	8. Chapter 8: Shattered World

**A/N:** omg...I SO sorry I took so long in updating! I've had tons of work at school and I was feeling lazy too...yea...anyhows, here's chapter 8!

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Chapter 8: Shattered World

**Sakura's P.O.V**

There was a dim light that shined on the two figures that were on the ally. I looked at them and I couldn't believe what my eyes saw. Sasuke was there, making-out with none other than Ino. My body became petrified and cold; my hands felt numb. I was stoned at the ground and couldn't move. I stood there, watching the whole scene that lay right before my eyes: my boyfriend and my best friend, making-out in the middle of the night.

I saw how passionately Sasuke kissed Ino. I saw how their tongues fought for control; both would go in and out like some crazed machine gone haywire. As Sasuke kissed Ino's side of her neck, I saw how he would lick her skin; tasting her and smelling her. His kisses lowered to her collarbone and even to the top of her chest. Ino was wearing a short spaghetti-strap top that had her chest naked, minus her breasts. Sasuke's hands traveled downwards across her body; exploring it, tracing it. I saw how he slipped his hand inside her short pants. His hands started crawl inside her shirt and massage her breasts. I saw it all. I even heard Ino's moans of ecstasy as she felt Sasuke's hands caress her body and how his lips and tongue would brush her skin. Ino's hands entangled in Sasuke's hair, and her head was leaning against the wall with her back arched, biting her lips, and panting. I noticed how Ino's leg was lifted; that way she could feel better Sasuke's erection rub against her covered crotch. No matter how much I wanted, I couldn't look away. It was as if I was cursed, damned to witness it. As I watched the erotic scene, I felt like something had cut me deep inside and how a knot formed in my throat. Hell, I even started feeling nauseous.

Suddenly, Ino's eyes met mine. She gasped and pushed Sasuke away. Sasuke gave Ino a frustrated looked since she interrupted everything, but when he saw Ino's wide eyes and her gape expression, he turned my way. Once he saw me, he's face transformed like Ino's face did. Both stared at my eyes; they had realized by my reaction that I had witnessed the whole spectacle. They had nothing to say to me. Both looked away; they couldn't handle another moment to look into my penetrating appalled eyes any further. My sight became blurry and I could no longer see Sasuke and Ino clearly; tears had filled my eyes. Finally, I was able to feel my body again; I turned and left the premises.

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Sakura opened the door of her apartment and closed it with what little strength she had left. She started to walk towards her room with sobs imprisoned in her throat. Her body started to become jelly and she started to move sideways. She was beginning to lose her strength; her body couldn't hold her much longer. She saw up ahead. Her vision was blurry, but she was able to see the silhouette of what was her bed. With what little strength she had left, Sakura started to unsteadily walk towards her bedroom. Tear after tear she would slowly progressed, limping. But when she reached her bedroom, she tripped on her on foot and fell. She was in her knees in front of her bed.

Sakura started sobbing and crying. One hand was clutching the covers while the rest of her body was at the floor. Then a wail escaped her throat.

_Why…why…?!_

She felt her body heavy, as if someone was being throwing weights on top of her; crushing it. The inside of her body felt like it was burning, as if someone had injected venom in her. A pain in her chest overwhelmed her; it was like someone was stabbing her continuously with a knife. Her throat and chest felt like they were being strangled and compressed. The pain was excruciating, she had never felt anything like this before. Pains she felt during battles were nothing to this; not even when she fought Sasori and got stabbed. Not even when Sasuke left the first time. Nothing could compare to this pain. It was a pain that she felt it was consuming her body from the inside; eating her alive.

Fresh images of Sasuke and Ino flooded her mind. Her hand grasped the covers even more; wrinkling it. She could barely breathe as she drowned in her cries.

Ino's moans of pleasure were still ringing in her ears; she could still see Sasuke kiss Ino's body and feeling her. Remembering as Sasuke would let his taste be all over Ino and how Ino would have Sasuke's touch in her caused her stomach to twist and turn. Then, Sakura started feeling nauseous. She tried to contain herself, but couldn't and vomited near the desk that was beside her.

Sakura took a fetal position and she covered her head and face with her hands.

_Why…why…_

Then, Sakura let out a cry that broke her voice into a scream.

"WHY??!!"

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Sakura rested her head at the corner of the bed; the rest of her body was kneeling. No tears were seen except their mark in her face. She had no more tears to shed at the moment. She lifted her light, strength less body and with trembling arms she got up. With her jelly-like body Sakura walked towards the bathroom. She went to the sink and looked at the mirror in front of her. Her face was dirty, her eyes were red and swollen, her hair was entangled and her lips were chapped.

Why? Why had they done this to her? Why did Lilly abandon her? Why did Ino and Sasuke betray her? Why? Why? Why was she always the one ending up getting hurt? Why was she the one who always had to be left crying? Why was she always the one left as a fool? Why? Why?

She looked at her reflection with disgust.

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**Sakura's P.O.V**

Who was that disgusting person in front of me? Who was that ugly hideous girl? Then I thought; I would never be able to compete with Ino. Ino is twice what I will ever be. She is beautiful and has a great body. I'm just average. And what's more, she was able to give Sasuke-kun what I couldn't. I never had it in me. I couldn't be able to have sex with him. I don't know why. Why? Why couldn't I? Was I afraid? In the end, Sasuke-kun betrayed me like Ino. Sasuke-kun said he loved me but, if he did he wouldn't have done this. He never loved me. All he felt was lust and now that Ino gave him what he desires I'm nothing.

Nothing. Nothing…

I'm nothing. I don't mean anything to anyone. I didn't mean anything to Lilly, I didn't mean anything to Ino and I certainly didn't mean a thing to Sasuke-kun. I'm worthless. I'm an ugly, worthless fool. I always have and always will be.

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She pulled out a kunai. Sakura picked a handful of hair from her side. Then with the kunai in her hand, she chopped if off. After that, the rest of her hair followed. She watched herself as she would continue to cut her hair, trend by trend, falling to the sink and floor.

"_I know how much you love him and I'm very happy for you. So, as your best friend, if you ever need me let me know. I just want you to be happy, Sakura."_

"_Those two words I said before I left that night…I really meant them."_

Tears engulfed in her eyes; they rolled down her cheeks. With continuous sobs, Sakura started feelings her body light and slowly lost her strength. She fell to her knees and sat on the floor crying. She covered her face with her hands and started wailing. She felt it again, the intense agony in her chest and her body.

Images flashed through her mind. When Lilly would encourage Sakura's accomplishments and help her train as her sister; when Ino and Sakura would be together and talk as best friends and would promised to be there for each other; when Sasuke would embrace Sakura and hold her as her boyfriend and give her comfort. But they had all betrayed her. Their moments and words meant nothing, just like her.

Ugly…

Disgusting…

Worthless…

Nothing…

That's what she was to them. That's how they saw her.

Suddenly, inside Sakura's broken body, something awakened. Sakura stood up from the floor and walked towards the mirror. With one last look to the disgusting reflection, she took the kunai and with its handle smashed it right into the mirror. She went to her bedroom and smashed the mirror in her drawer. All the things that were on top of it, she smacked them to the floor. Sakura gritted her teeth with tears still in her face and eyes.

_Why?! Why am I such a fool?!_

_Why do I always have to be the one getting hurt?!_

_Why does everyone take advantage of me?!_

_Why am I the one left as the fuckin' idiot?!_

_Why?! WHY?! Is not fair! Is not fair!!_

"_I know how much you love him and I'm very happy for you. So, as your best friend, if you ever need me let me know. I just want you to be happy, Sakura."_

"_Those two words I said before I left that night…I really meant them."_

_Bullshit. Everything was fuckin' bullshit! Why did they do this to me? Why? Why? WHY?!_

Sakura ripped the curtains apart with her kunai. But this wasn't enough. She took the kunai and ripped the top pf her pajamas, leaving her with only her bra; then, started to cut her arms. Slash after slash, a piece small of flesh would be torn away. Blood flowed from her arms and the point of her kunai would slowly get a crimson color. Wails and screams were heard, but not from pain. She felt no pain from her cuts; it was as if she wasn't even aware that she was mutilating herself. Sakura's kunai kept penetrating her skin until she couldn't anymore. Sakura had snapped.

After she went berserk, Sakura laid at the corner beside her bed and her balcony in a lifeless position; like a doll thrown in a corner. Her arms were still covered in blood and her kunai was in one of her hands, blood stained as well as the floor and a part of her bed cover.

_I'm nothing…_

_Nothing…_

_Nothing…_

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**A/N:** I know is a bit short but I wanted to leave it like that. It was difficult for me to develop it. I really tired my very best in making it very depressing and angsty. I hope I suceeded...well, please review! Thank you!


	9. Chapter 9: A Broken Girl's Decision

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Chapter 9: A Broken Girl's Decision

"So you don't know anything about her either?"

Kakashi shook his head in reply.

Both Tsunade and Kakashi stood pensively, with worried faces.

Kakashi broke the silence, "I can take a look at her apartment. I'm pretty sure she must be there."

"Yes, go. And inform me what's going on. Something bad must've happened; I'm sure of it," Tsunade clenched her fists.

Kakashi sympathized with Tsunade's distraught state; he was troubled as well. This is the second day that Sakura went M.I.A. No one had seen her. He hadn't seen her since the day before yesterday when Sakura came to his apartment. In fact, yesterday he had gone to her apartment but no one answered.

He got dismissed from Tsunade's office and headed towards Sakura's apartment. The thoughts on what could be going on where still present in his mind and so was his worry for Sakura.

_Now that I think about it, the night she came to my apartment was the night that Lilly left Konoha. Still, this can't be a product of that incident. Is not like Sakura to be like this. Something else must've happened, but what? _

Kakashi walked outside and crossed paths with a waving Naruto.

"Kakash-sensei!"

The Copy-nin waved back at the blonde boy with a smile.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, have you seen Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked. "I haven't seen her today and I didn't see her yesterday either. Do you know what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her either," Kakashi answered.

The usually hyper blonde lowered his sight to the ground and his face turned into a worried one. Kakashi noticed. It was expected for Naruto to be like that. He knew how much he loved Sakura.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei…have you seen Sasuke?" Naruto's voice lowered.

"Not recently," Kakashi replied shaking his head.

Naruto remained silenced and pensively for a moment.

_Now that Naruto mentions Sasuke, it's strange that I haven't seen him. He hasn't even asked for Sakura these past days. I hope this situation has nothing to do with him. _

The silver-haired man denied all thought that could make Sasuke the culprit of this.

"Well, in any case I'm going to Sakura's apartment and check on her."

"I'll go with you," Naruto added.

Kakashi gave him a nod and both left to Sakura's apartment.

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Naruto and Kakashi finally arrived to their destination. The copy-nin knocked on Sakura's front door.

"Sakura!"

No answer. Kakashi knocked again.

"Sakura! It's me, Kakashi!"

Again, no answer.

"Kakashi-sensei, maybe she went out or something," Naruto suggested.

"I don't think so. No one has seen her in the village. She must be here. Naruto, you have a copy of Sakura's apartment keys, right?"

"Um, yea. I have it right here," the blonde replied.

"Then, please open the door."

Naruto nodded. He searched for the keys in the right pocket of his orange pants. Once he found them, Naruto unlocked the door and slowly opened it.

"Um, Sakura-chan?"

No response.

They entered. Sakura wasn't neither at the kitchen nor the living room. They looked around and saw Sakrua's room door closed.

"She must be in her room," Kakashi commented.

Naruto gave him a nod in agreement. Kakashi knocked at the door but no one answered. He opened it slowly. But neither of them was prepared to see the scene that they were going to witness.

Sakura's room was in a state that it has never been before. There were accessories all over the floor: brushes, perfumes, make-up, picture frames, figures, etc; her fuchsia curtains were all torn, the mirrors were cracked, there was vomit near drawer beside her bed which produced a bad odor, there was clothing in the floor, her bed was a mess; in short, the room was completely trashed.

"Wha-what the hell happened here?" Naruto asked, appalled.

Kakashi shook his head in response, "I-I don't know."

Both ninjas searched around the trashed room when the silver-haired man caught a glimpse at a rosette haired figure appearing from a corner. Kakashi hurried, but he certainly wasn't prepared to see this scene.

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**Kakashi's P.O.V**

When I caught the glimpse of the rosette hair figure right at the end corner, I quickly hurried. But I wasn't prepared for what I was going to witness next. I saw a lifeless figure of what looked like Sakura. It lay there, like some kind of rag doll that had been battered. Emotionless, red and swollen eyes, a stoic expression, and a lifeless body were all I saw. I was too appalled to even react to what I was seeing. I shut my eyes once, then twice, hoping that the image would go away; hoping that what I was seeing was an illusion. But it wasn't. This was Sakura; this lifeless doll that lay in a corner _was_ Sakura. My eyes explored the rest of her figure. Her eyes were opaque and dark; the sparkle and gleam that she would omit from them was lost. Her hair was gone. Her once beautiful, long, shiny and rosette hair turned into an opaque, short, uneven and entangled hair. Her face was pale, stained and her cheeks were hollow. But what affected me the most was what I saw next. Her arms were all cut-slit; they were covered in blood just like the floor she was sitting. And the part of the bed covers that were beside her had taken that horrible crimson pigment. Then I saw, the blood-stained kunai in her left hand. He body had blood-stains and so did part of her bra. All I could do was stare at the moment; stare at what I was seeing in front of me. I felt like something got stuck in my throat like it was strangling it, making it hard to breath. Here was Sakura, who had gone through God knows what, and I wasn't able to do anything about it.

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Naruto headed towards the shocked figure of Kakashi. His eyes widened as soon as he saw Sakura, the lifeless doll that lay in a corner, with a dead expression in her face, and the blood that covered her arms. Naruto couldn't believe what he saw. Tears started to well in the side of his eyes.

_S-Sakura…chan…_

He slowly started to walk towards Sakura, reaching his trembling hand out. He wanted to see if what he was seeing was real or just a genjutsu.

"S-Sakura-chan…this…this is a genjutsu…right…Kakashi-sensei?" A sorrowful smile appeared in Naruto's face; praying that what he was saying was the truth.

Kakashi shook his head, regretfully, "No. This _is_ Sakura."

Quickly, Naruto's smile vanished and his accumulated tears rolled down his cheeks.

His trembling fingers gently reached Sakura's leg, but none of them were prepared to what was going to happen next. As soon as Naruto's fingers gently roused Sakura's leg, Sakura regained consciousness but started to scream.

Naruto recoil his hand; Sakura covered the side if her face with her hands and screamed frantically. Naruto and Kakashi watched Sakura both appalled and bewildered. They couldn't understand where this reaction came from. Why was Sakura being neurotic?

"Naruto!" Kakashi called out. "Go and inform Tsunade of everything exactly as you saw it here."

The Kyuubi vessel certainly didn't want to leave Sakura, but as soon as he was going to protest, but Kakashi didn't allow him.

"Go, now!" he firmly ordered.

Reluctantly, Naruto obeyed and quickly left the apartment.

The copy-nin looked at the frantic Sakura. Although she was no longer screaming, she took on the fetal position. Both her hands still in the sides of her head, panting and with eyes wide open.

Kakashi kneeled in front of Sakura and reached out his hand.

"Sakura…" he gently said.

Both once his fingers touched Sakura's shoulder, she again resumed her neurotic scream.

"Don't touch me!!"

"S-Sakura…I…" Kakashi tried to touch her once more.

"Don't touch me!! Don't look at me!!!" Sakura screamed, this time covering her face completely.

"Sakura, what's wrong? What happened to you?" Kakashi asked.

"Don't look at me…I'm ugly… I'm disgusting…I'm worthless…I'm nothing…" Sakura muttered as she rocked herself back and forth.

Those words penetrated Kakashi like venom and it only gave more fuel to his frustration. He couldn't understand who have caused Sakura to be like this and he certainly despised that person as of now. It pained him to hear Sakura degrade herself like this; saying words that were far from the truth; adjectives that were the complete opposite of what she really was. He thought this was Sakura, but it was far from being. This girl had Sakura's body and face, but this wasn't _the_ Sakura he knew. This wasn't the student that would smile and cheer his day; his little ray of happiness. What this was, was a broken girl; a girl whose life had been shattered, whose spirits and hopes were gone, whose heart had been torn into pieces. That was the girl that he saw in front of him; that was the Sakura he was seeing.

"Sakura…listen…" Kakashi gently said in another attempt to reach her. But it was futile. Sakura only shoved his hand aside.

"Don't touch me!!! Don't look at me!!! Leave!! GO AWAY!!! GO AWAY!!!"

In the end, all Kakashi could do was succumb to her cries. He slowly stood up and turned. He went towards the door of her room and turned his head. He gave one last look to the rosette haired girl that was left in a corner in a fetal position. Kakashi shut his eyes, swallowed the knot that had formed in his throat and left the girl that had once been Haruno Sakura.

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Night had fallen once again; another lonely night with not hopes. The lifeless Sakura was still in the corner, maintaining her fetal position. She slowly started to sit up, with what little strength she had. Sakura dragged her weak body towards the bed and clutched it, forcing herself to stand in her feet.

Her jelly feet were causing her to tumble sideways. Wobbling, she walked towards the bathroom with the wall for balance.

She reached the bathroom and looked at herself in the shattered mirror. Again, she couldn't stand what she saw and only brought her memories of why she was like this. Looking at her blood-covered arms she took a towel and soaked it with the water from the sink. Next, she started to clean the dried blood from her arms.

After she was done, Sakura looked outside. It was dark; judging from the darkness and silence it must have been around 11 or 12. She stared pensively at the floor.

_I haven't gone out of here in 2 days. Since is so late I doubt there'll be many people out. _

With that thought, she put on a very large long-sleeved sweater to cover her cuts and some baggy pants that stopped right at her ankle and her ninja shoes. In short, she was very badly-dressed. With her hair still uneven and entangles and her face still dirty, she left her apartment.

Sakura walked by the obscure village. The street lights were on, but no one was outside. Only places that were opened were a few bars. Sakura walked with a zombie-like expression and saw a bar up ahead of her. She decided to go inside.

There weren't many people, only 2 customers but they were at the far left end of the counter. She sat at the middle.

The bartender walked towards Sakura; at first he stared at her with a curious and surprised face as he saw the zombie-looking girl that sat in front of him.

"Um, can I get you something Miss?" he asked.

"The strongest drink you have." Sakura said hoarsely.

The bartender's eyes explored her face and body.

"Sorry, but I can tell you aren't 20 yet. I can't give you that kind of liquor."

Sakura's opaque and stoic emerald eyes glared at the bartender. He backed away for a moment.

"Don't you know who that is?" one of the other customers asked.

"That's Haruno Sakura, the top medic of the village and Hokage-sama's apprentice. You don't want to mess with her, so give her what she asks," the other costumer added.

The bartender was left stunned. _This_ zombie-looking girl was Haruno Sakura? He couldn't believe it. He had never had any interaction with Sakura but he had seen her from afar. She had long-gleaming rosette hair and a smooth looking skin. But what was in front of her was a girl with short opaque hair with no shine and a dirty face. Still, he succumbed to the words the customer said. He'd better give Sakura what she asked or he might be in trouble.

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Kakashi roamed through the village. After what had happened at the afternoon with Sakura, his mind wouldn't let him be at peace. Questions flooded him, images of Sakura's trashed room and the lifeless figure of Sakura herself with her bloody and cut arms were still engraved in his mind, and his mixtures of feelings were tormenting him.

_Why? Why was Sakura all battered-up like that? Why was she saying those awful things to herself? Who did this to her? Who?_

The frustrated man passed a bar, but he quickly paused as he caught the glimpse of a rosette haired figure. He turned his head and saw Sakura lying on the counter. Kakashi ran towards her.

"Sakura!" he cried.

Sakura didn't reply. She had passed out. He looked at the table and silently gasped. There were over 9 empty glasses in the table. It didn't took him long to realize that they were once full of liquor drinks.

"Sir, you know Haruno Sakura?" the bartender asked.

"What happened here?" Kakashi demanded with a solemn tone.

"She came into my bar and requested me to give her the strongest drink I had. At first I said no but then I decided to give her one. After that she kept demanding for more. I refused to do it but she forced me to by threatening me. In the end, she kept drinking until she passed out a moment ago," the bartender explained.

Kakashi looked at the unconscious Sakura with a sorrowful look.

"I don't know what happened to her, but it's clear that she needs help. If she's this desperate to drink until she forgets, I can't imagine what else she might be willing to do," the bartender added.

The copy-nin grabbed Sakura bridal style, "Well, at least she passed out in here and not outside."

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Kakashi entered Sakura's apartment. He went to her bedroom and gently placed Sakura on the bed. He looked at her. He still couldn't believe that this girl was Sakura. It was hard to imagine it; it pained him. He removed a hair that was in Sakura's face; then he gently stroked it. His hand moved from her hair to her face. Kakashi gently caressed it with the back of his hand.

_Who the hell did this to you?_

His heart felt a stab inside; and his chest felt like it was being compressed. A feeling of both frustration and anger compelled him. He started at Sakura with the same sorrowful expression. His feelings told him to find the person that did this to Sakura and kill him. That's what Kakashi wanted to do, but he knew better.

_If only. If only I could do something for you. If only I could make you smile again, erase all this pain from your life. But…I don't know what to do. I don't what I can do for you Sakura. And that's what angers me the most. Sakura…I'd give my life for you if I could._

Kakashi decided to stay and watch over Sakura for the night, just in case she woke up and needed something. He stayed in a chair beside Sakura's bed. With his arms crossed, he watched the sleeping figure of Sakura. Once again, it reminded him of the sleeping beauty.

The silver-haired man looked at the clock; it was around 4 am. His eyes were feeling heavy; his head would start to tilt sideways, forward, and back. It was obvious that he was tired. Kakashi surrendered to his drowsiness and closed his eyes. But his slumber was interrupted when a scream penetrated his ears.

Kakashi quickly stood up and saw Sakura screaming her lungs out in the bed. She was kneeling down with her hands in her head. Kakashi walked towards Sakura to calm her down.

"Sakura! What's going on?" he held her arms, but Sakura shoved him.

Then she grabbed a kunai from the drawer and held it with the point end facing her. Kakashi immediately knew what was going to happen next so ran towards Sakura to prevent it. Just as Sakura was going to thrust the kunai in her chest, Kakashi held her shoulder with one hand and with the other he held her hands that were holding the kunai. Sakura and Kakashi got caught in a tug-o-war; both fighting for control over the other.

He grunted trying to hold Sakura's arm while Sakura fought against Kakashi's strength to free herself.

"This is enough Sakura!!!" Kakashi cried.

"Leave me alone!!! Lemme go!!!! LEMME GO!!!" Sakura screamed in return.

"NO!! You can't do this Sakura!!! This isn't the way out!!" Kakashi replied.

"Shut up!!! Lemme go!!! I want to end this already!! Lemme end this!!! I don't want to live anymore!!! I have no reason to!!! I can't stand this anymore!! I can't!! I CAN'T!!! " Sakura cried with a begging tone; her voice started to break and tears would appear at the corner of her eyes.

Kakashi realized that he couldn't reason with Sakura. She was going through a mental breakdown and if she managed to free herself from him there was no doubt in his mind that she was going to plunge that kunai in her chest. So he did the first thing that came into his mind. With the hand that was holding Sakura's shoulder, he knocked her out.

Sakura's eyes slowly started to close and her grip on the kunai loosed. She fell towards the side unconsciously.

Kakashi was breathing heavily; he looked at the kunai in his hands. The thought of realizing that Sakura was just about to take her life troubled him. To think that Sakura would rather kill herself than keep living in whatever hell she was going through. The same question tormented his mind once more: Why?

He felt useless; Sakura was suffering and he didn't even know why. He felt a pain inside of him; the pain of being useless, of seeing his dear student suffer right before his eyes; pain of frustration and rancor. He felt like poison was coursing through his blood, burning his body and making it boil.

He clenched his hand holding the kunai and shut his eyes. He swallowed the knot that had formed in his throat.

_Sakura…forgive me._

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Another morning came. Sunlight shinned through the drapes of the torn curtains illumining Sakura's bed. Sakura strained her face and slowly opened her eyes.

She sat up but felt her head heavy. It hurt; it felt like she was being pound with a hammer.

"Uh…my head hurts. What happened to me?" Sakura groaned with a hand in her head.

She looked beside her and saw an empty chair.

_Hm...I've never had a chair there before._

She looked at it with a puzzled face but noticed a paper in her drawer. Apparently it was a letter.

_Sakura,_

_I assume that you're having a major headache. Well, can't expect anything else after the drinks you had yesterday. In any case, I left you the bottle of pills in the drawer. If you need anything let me know. I left a communicator so you can contact me. _

_Kakashi._

Sakura started to remember what had happened the night before.

_Of course, I left yesterday and went to a bar. Apparently, I had one too many drinks. Kakashi must've stayed with me for the night to watch me. _

Sakura took the pills and walked towards her drawer and looked at herself in the cracked mirror.

_Kakashi had to waste his time with me. I'm so pathetic that I can't even take care of myself. I'm such a mess. _

Suddenly, something triggered inside Sakura. It was a feeling she hadn't felt before.

_Why? Why am I always the one to end up like this?_

**That's because people take advantage of you. **

_Why would they do that?_

**They don't think you're capable of hating or holding grudges. **

_It's not fair._

**Of course it isn't. But…you're not going to let this happen again, right?**

_Uhh…_

**Come on Sakura. Look at yourself. Kakashi has been taking care of you like some helpless child. And you were made fun of by Lilly, Sasuke, and Ino. Listen Sakura, they took advantage of you. Lilly took advantage of you as your sister, Ino took advantage of the trust you had for her as a best friend, and Sasuke took advantage of your trust as his girlfriend. They are all assholes who made you look like an idiot. **

_I know._

**So…you can't let this repeat itself again. Or will you?**

_I won't. _

**Exactly. Enough is enough. You can't allow anyone else to make you look like a fool. You don't want to end up crying again, right?**

_Right._

**You don't want to end up getting hurt again, do you?**

_No. _

**Sakura, trust only yourself. That's the only way. You are the only person whom you can trust and love. No one else deserves it or else they'll take advantage of it. **

_Trust only myself…_

**Yes; only you, no one else.**

_Only me…_

An image of her friends appeared before her: Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Neji, Hinata…

_But…what about my friends? _

**Don't trust them, forget them. They can end up hurting you too.**

_But, they have never hurt me before._

**That's exactly what you thought of Ino and Lilly. And what did they do? They betrayed you in the most despicable way. Sakura, you can't take any chances now. You must think that everyone has a traitor inside of them. Think that, and you'll be fine. Don't take risks. If you trust only yourself and love only yourself then you can avoid feeling this pain again. Tell me, what are you going to do?**

Sakura closed her eyes.

_Isolate myself; not trust anyone. Everyone is a traitor eventually. _

**Yes.**

_I will not be made a fool anymore. I won't be taken care of anymore. I won't cry anymore. I will trust myself and myself only!_

With that, she opened them, but this time her look changed. Her emerald eyes that were once lifeless and stoic, now took a serious, strong and determined look.

Sakura went to the bathroom. She laid a pair of scissors and a brush in the sink. Sakura looked at herself in the shattered mirror; the cracks would deviate her reflection. Things were going to be different now; she was going to be transformed. The Haruno Sakura that everyone once knew was gone. Now, a new Haruno Sakura will arise.

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	10. Chapter 10: Anew

**A/N:** Wow...I'm sorry I took so long to update. First I was feeling lazy (come on...happend to everyone . ) Then was being an ass as most of you know so I couldn't upload the chapter. In any case, I want to thank SweetAssassin once more for revising it and helping me. You rock!

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**Chapter 10:** Anew

People stared; others murmured amongst themselves. That was the villagers' expressions as they saw Sakura walk by. Her hair was a bit shorter than when she used to have it at that length; her long bangs that would drop from the sides were almost gone, replaced by bangs on her forehead like when she was a child. Her arms were marked with fading scars. Sakura had healed her wounds and had tried to make the scars as clear as possible, but there were still some traces left. Sakura walked with a serious expression on her face; it was as if her grief from days past had never occurred.

Sakura decided to go to the Godaime's office. After been missing for a few days, she didn't doubt that Tsunade was worried and wanted to see her. Besides, she wanted to request something important from her mentor.

Sakura knocked on the door that led to Tsunade's office.

"Come in," Tsunade responded.

Sakura entered.

The Hokage paused her work and looked to see the person that had just entered.

Her eyes widened, "S-Sakura…is that you?"

"Yes Tsunade-sama," the pink-haired woman responded in monotone.

Tsunade couldn't believe it at first. Mostly because it was the first time she had seen Sakura in 3 days; also because she had her hair short. Tsunade recalled that Sakura had been proud of her glossy, long hair. But overall, she was glad to see her again.

"I was so worried about you Sakura. Are you doing alright?"

Sakura nodded, "I'm fine. Sorry if I caused you to worry."

"Sakura…" the Godaime paused. Her eyes ventured Sakura's body; she noticed the marks on her arms.

_Those must be the scars of her self-inflicted cuts. _

"I want you to take it easy from now on. I'm going to reduce your amount of work. You can't strain your body in the current state you're in or else you'll be in serious trouble."

"Don't worry Tsunade-sama. I'm fine, really. I just needed some rest," Sakura said.

The blonde woman raised and eyebrow, giving her an unconvinced look.

"Tsunade-sama, I came to request something to you."

"What is it?" Tsunade inquired.

"From now on, I want you to give me all the A-rank missions you get," Sakura replied.

"Absolutely not! You need rest, not missions!" Tsunade argued loudly.

"I already told you, I'm fine. Please, I want these missions," the pink-haired woman protested.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

Sakura remained silent for a moment and closed her eyes for a second.

"Because I want to join ANBU."

The Godaime froze; her bronze eyes were wide open.

"Are you serious? Sakura, you've never been interested in ANBU. What's going on in your mind?"

"Nothing. I just want to improve as a ninja and I think becoming ANBU is a good opportunity to do so. Besides, I want to do something new for myself. That's all," Sakura responded.

The blonde searched the younger kunoichi's eyes. They showed determination, seriousness, and strength. It was clear that this wasn't a joke; Sakura was serious. And Tsunade knew perfectly that when Sakura was serious about something, she really meant it.

"You really are serious about this, huh? Well, I guess I can't do anything about it, now can I? I'll inform you as soon as I get a mission. So, you better start training," Tsunade sighed.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," Sakura bowed and departed.

After Sakura left, the Hokage was left in mixed thought. She still couldn't understand why Sakura would want to join ANBU so suddenly. Her apprentice had never liked the concept of it before, which is why she decided to dedicate herself as a medic. She'd rather save lives than ending them; though of course, she'd go to missions if she was assigned to them.

"There's something more to this," The Hokage narrowed her bronze eyes. "I'm sure of it."

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_Well, that went well I think. I can't say I fooled Tsunade but at least she gave me what I wanted and didn't pry. Though knowing her, she'll pry in a more discreet way. So, I gotta be careful._

Sakura roamed through the village heading towards a training ground.

_I better start training._

Behind her was Hinata walking with Neji. Hinata narrowed her eyes, trying to make out who was the rosette haired girl in front of them.

"Is that Sakura-chan?"

Her pink hair was a no-brainer. But what shocked Neji for a moment was the length of her hair. He as well as Hinata, had gotten used to her hair being long.

"Kami…that _is_ Sakura-san." Neji said.

The Hyuuga cousins hurried their pace and caught up with Sakura.

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata called out.

The girl turned in response.

"Sakura-chan. I'm glad to see you again. How are you feeling?" The Hyuuga heiress asked.

"I'm doing a lot better, thank,." Sakura answered.

"That's good," Hinata smiled in relief. "Though I did have a bit of trouble recognizing you at first."

Sakura chuckled, "I can imagine why."

"Why did you cut it in the first place?" she questioned curiously.

The question hit Sakura like a brick wall.

"Just felt like changing my look," the kunoichi faked her smile.

"Looks cute though," Hinata complimented.

Neji looked at Sakura's emerald eyes. He noticed that they were different; they looked opaque. He could tell that something was going on and that Sakura didn't want to show it.

"Sakura-san, would you like to have dinner with us tonight?" he asked.

Sakura was going to accept his invitation but quickly, a voice came into her thoughts.

**Remember your resolution, Sakura. Don't trust anyone.**

Sakura sighed, "Sorry Neji-san, but I can't. I'm going to be busy with training."

"That's alright. Don't worry about it. I'm sure there'll be more opportunities," the man replied.

Sakura gave off a nervous smile.

"Well, Neji-niisan and I have to go. We're glad to see you're doing ok Sakura-chan."

Hinata and Neji waved and left.

Sakura grinned and waved in return. As they left, her grin started to fade away, her hand lowered, and her face turned solemn.

_Sorry Neji-san, Hinata-chan. But things will be different between us now. From now on, the only things you will get from me will be fake smiles…if any._

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Sakura went to the training ground. She was alone, only trees and the grass field surrounded her. Sakura could hear the wind blowing and feel it as it brushed her face. But, she felt something different; it was an odd feeling.

"Of course…" she half-smiled. "My hair is shorter now."

She ran her hand through her rosette hair. It felt lighter. Sakura shook her head; she shouldn't be worrying about trivial things like this. She ought to be training.

Sakura put on her black gloves and sighed; closing her eyes she concentrated her chakra.

The rosette kunoichi opened her eyes; eyebrows meeting at the center with a strong look. She did a hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A second Sakura appeared out of the smoke.

"Let's start!" both of them said.

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Both Sakuras jumped back, facing each other, panting. Sweat would drip from their dirty faces. But they resumed their fight. As both kunoichi's clashed, Naruto passed by; hearing the clashing of kunais, the noise of the pounding ground and grunting sounds.

_Sakura-chan?_

The blonde boy watched from afar. Once both rosette girls came to a pause, Naruto called out.

"Sakura-chan!"

The kunoichi's turned their heads towards the impeccable voice that had just called them.

"Naruto."

He headed towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked; the clone disappeared leaving a trail of smoke.

"That's exactly what I was gonna ask you," Naruto said.

"Well, I was just training a bit," Sakura answered. "Can't get rusty."

"True that. Though now that I think about it, I haven't seen you train in sometime, ne Sakura-chan?"

The blonde boy embraced his dear friend.

"I'm so glad to see you're doing well."

Sakura's emerald eyes gave a melancholic expression. It pained her that Naruto had worried this much about her. His hug comforted her; it always did. She wanted to embrace him as well, but the voice came again.

**Sakura, our resolution. Don't forget it. **

The kunoichi stood still, with the one-sided hug.

"Sakura-chan…are you really ok?" he asked.

"Yeah…why would you say that?"

Cerulean eyes met emerald; then emerald looked away.

"It's ok. You don't have to tell me now. But I swear Sakura-chan that I will never forgive the person who did that to you. Never."

Naruto's cerulean eyes looked firm and strong with the same shine they always had. Sakura was grateful for his care towards her, but that would be something that he'll never know. From now on, Sakura will have to keep everything to herself. That was what her resolution was.

"I appreciate it Naruto, but it's ok. I'm fine now and that's what matters," Sakura gave a forced grin.

"Still, my vow goes, ok? But I'm happy to see you again Sakura-chan. If you need anything let me know. Now, come to think of it I'd better go. I have to find that Sasuke-teme. I haven't seen him these past days."

Sakura's emerald eyes widened.

_Sasuke…kun…_

The name caused a shiver down her spine and felt her blood turn cold. Haunting images of that night flashed through her mind. Her body felt jelly-like.

"See you later Sakura-chan!" the blond waved at her and left.

Sakura waved in return, containing herself and forcing a smile. But as soon as Naruto was out of sight, Sakura fell to her knees. She put her hands on the side of her head and started to whimper.

_No…no, please stop. I don't want to remember anymore…_

**I know, and that's exactly why you must break your bonds with your friends. As long as they are close to you, you will keep remembering. And…you don't want that, right?**

_No…_

**Sakura, never forget our resolution. Remember, only trust yourself. Don't worry; you aren't alone because I'll always be here.**

Sakura put her arms around her body.

_Yes._

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"I'm very worried about Sakura," Tsunade told Kakashi. "Want to hear what she told me when she earlier?"

Kakashi kept silent, but made a gesture telling Tsunade to continue.

"She said that she wanted to take A-rank missions in order to qualify to join ANBU."

"What?" the Copy-nin responded in shock. "Sakura has never liked ANBU."

The blonde woman rested her elbows on the desk and her chin on her hands.

"I know. Still, I knew she wouldn't tell me the real reason so I went along with what she said. In any case, I'm going to prepare her appointments with me. After what happened, Sakura needs some psychological treatment so I'll have some sessions with her. But Kakashi…" Tsunade paused, closing her eyes momentarily.

"You should've brought her immediately when you saw her in the state she was in."

Her bronze eyes narrowed.

The silver-haired man understood what she meant.

"I know, but at that moment I couldn't. She wouldn't let me get near her."

"You still should've brought her," Tsunade sighed, resting her back against the chair. "But what's done is done. At least, she's alive. In any case, Kakashi, I'm assigning Sakura to you. I want you to find out what exactly is going on with her. Do it discreetly, she might already suspect something like this."

Kakashi nodded once, "Alright."

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Sakura was in her bed, lying down pensively. She was wearing very short blue shorts and a light blue tank top. Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her front door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Kakashi."

Sakura's facial gesture changed to one of uneasiness. She couldn't just leave him outside after all so she reluctantly opened the door.

"Mind if I come in?" the silver-haired ninja said.

"Well, you're already are," Sakura shrugged.

He walked into Sakura's small living room and sat on the couch.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked from the kitchen.

"No, I'm good."

Sakura sat on the other side of the couch; trying to keep distance between her and her ex-sensei.

"Tsunade told me that you wanted to retake missions, correct?" Kakashi inquired.

"Yes. I was training this afternoon," Sakura replied.

"I see. Tsunade also said that she'll assign appointments for you to see her, like a session."

Sakura made a faded grin, "So…she thinks I'm crazy?"

"No, it's not that. She just wants to make sure you're alright," the Copy-nin said.

_I knew it. I knew Tsunade-sama would do something like this._ Sakura thought annoyed.

"In any case, if you like I can help you train," Kakashi offered.

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei, but I'd rather do this on my own," Sakura grinned.

Kakashi stared at Sakura's face. Something was different, but he couldn't put his finger to it. What was it?

A steaming sound was heard form the kitchen.

"Tea's ready," Sakura stood up and headed towards the kitchen.

_Something's different about her, I can tell. There's something in her eyes that's…that's not her._

Kakashi's eye lowered with a worried look in it.

Sakura came back with a cup of tea in her hand; she resumed her sitting position in the couch.

"So, do you plan on leaving any time soon?" Sakura asked, drinking a portion of her tea.

Suddenly, a shadow hovered over her from her right side.

"Now…are you kicking me out Sakura?" the silver-haired man asked with a flirtatious tone and look.

Sakura laid the cup in the table in front of her, "No. I was just asking."

"Well, I don't plan on leaving yet. You still need to return the favor."

"What favor?!" the rosette girl reacted.

"Well, you did crash into my house that night and took my bed. Is only fair that I crash into yours, don't you think?" Kakashi's covered lips whispered in Sakura's ear.

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him; she sighed, "Whatever. Is not like I can do anything about it, now can I?"

Sakura took her cup and drank another portion of her tea.

"Sakura…" Kakashi cupped her chin and gently turned her face to him.

Her emerald eyes met his onyx eye. He gazed at her. Her eyes were different; they didn't have their usual shine. Her cheeks didn't have the rosy color they used to. Her lips looked as if they haven't been touched in some time; they looked lonely. Then, it hit him. Sakura was in this condition because he wasn't able to protect her. Kakashi remembered what Tsunade told him earlier.

_You should've brought her immediately as you saw her in the state she was_.

A sentiment of guilt overwhelmed him; it really hurt him to see Sakura this unhappy. Now, he comprehended why Sakura wanted to join ANBU; to escape whatever hell she suffered.

He lowered his hand, releasing her chin, slowly going down until he reached her thigh. He sinks his head; silver bangs draping his right eye.

Sakura watched Kakashi's movements. She had to know what was going on with him; she had noticed his sorrowful expression. It hurt her. Although asking meant that her bond with him wasn't severed, she still felt like she had to. Again, the voice came.

**No. Don't ask.**

_I have to. I must, just this once._

"What's wrong, Kakashi-sensei?"

Slowly and hesitantly, Sakura put her hand on top of his. She leveled her head to his; waiting for an answer. Then, Kakashi's hand clenched into a fist.

"Please…forgive me…Sakura."

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**A/N:** Chapter 11 is on its way so be patience. Is half-done so if I'm not lazy it'll probably be up soon. Also, as a side note that, as you've read, Inner Sakura would be appearing more often. I originally thought of making her appear just in one chapter but apparently, it makes Sakura's struggles with herself more interesting.Well, don't forget to Read & Review please. I hoped you all enjoyed it!!


	11. Chapter 11: Crimson Metamorphosis

**A/N:** OMG!! I'm SOOOOOOOOOO sorry I took so long. I deserve no forgiveness from anyone! I'm so so sorry. Please don't hate me.. I had the chapter long ago but the problem was the fighting scene. I had trouble writting it since I've never done that sort of thing. It took me a long long time before I could get the hang of it. But I finally wrote it. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. And please excuse any typos. I went over this tons of time but I could always bypass some.

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**Chapter 11:** Crimson Metamorphosis

**Sakura's P.O.V**

When I heard Kakashi say those words, I felt something deep inside of me. I've never heard him say this and in this tone no less. I felt something in my chest, like a stab. His words were like venom that had penetrated inside me and its burning liquid was running through my blood. I don't know why but somehow it was as if I could feel Kakashi's pain. Pain full of sadness, frustration but overall…guilt.

"Wh-why are…you saying that?" I ask muttering. I was scared; scared of what the answer could be.

"Because…I couldn't protect you Sakura. After Sasuke left I vowed that I would never let you get hurt like that again." His voice started to lower. His fist tightened until he grabbed my hand. "But I…I couldn't. I failed you…Sakura. I wasn't able to be there for you…"

I couldn't take it anymore. His words of guilt were too much for me. I could feel his strong hands tremble against mine; they started to feel cold.

"Sakura I…"

"No. Don't say more." I cut him. "Kakashi-sensei…don't say more."

I could feel cries get caught in my throat, but I swallowed them. I wasn't going to show any emotions now.

"Don't blame yourself. What happened isn't you fault. It never was."

I sink my face, pink bangs covering it; swallowed again; containing the tears that I wished to let out.

"Kakashi-sensei, you have done so much for me. You've done more than anyone else. You've been there for me when I've needed you. You've encouraged me, supported me, helped me and comforted me. I couldn't have asked for more. What happened to me wasn't your fault, it-it was mine….I was foolish. So please I beg you…don't blame yourself…please…" My voice broke. I tightened the grip in his hand. Then, I felt his hand cup my chin; forcing me to look straight in his onyx eye.

"You aren't foolish." He said with a tender voice and suddenly embraced me.

Though I wanted to, I didn't reciprocate the hug; like with Naruto.

_If only I could tell you._

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After Kakashi left, Sakura sat on her bed.

**See…you wanted to let your emotions and feelings out.**

_But I didn't._

**I know. But you almost did and that's exactly my point Sakura. I could tell that Kakashi's words hurt you. It pained you to see Kakashi like that, right?**

_Yes…it-it did…_

Sakura sunk her face.

**Sakura, that's exactly why you must cut your bonds with them; as long as you keep this close contact, you will keep showing emotions. And then, as you have experienced by Lilly, Ino and Sasuke, those emotions will be taken advantage of and used against you to hurt you.**

_I know…_

**I know this is hard, but you must not be with your friends any longer. If all goes as planned, you will take A-rank missions and eventually become ANBU. During the time you'll spend your day either training or in your apartment. You must have as much less contact with your friends as possible; especially with Kakashi.**

_Why would you say that?_

**You mean you aren't aware? Whatever, you stay away from him and Naruto, alright?**

_Yes._

**Sakura, all you need is yourself and I'll be here for you.**

_Yes. I know._

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"You called for me, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura entered her mentor's office.

"Yes. I've got a mission for you." Tsunade responded.

Sakura stood firm, head rise awaiting her orders.

"This is going to be a series of mission. It was found out that Kabuto is planning something against Konoha. Apparently, he wants revenge for Orochimaru's death."

"What are his plans?" Sakura inquired.

"According to the record given, he plans on attacking Konoha. The 'how' has not been confirmed yet but what we do know is that he's allaying himself with other villages. And here's where your mission comes along." Tsunade paused.

The rosette kunoichi stared at Tsunade, eagerly awaiting her orders.

"You are to go to a hideout that was found. It's run by ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Rain. You are to infiltrate it and capture one of the ninjas and bring him or her here for questioning; only one. You will have 2 more jounins accompanying you. Are you up for it?"

"Yes." Sakura nodded with a strong and serious look in her emerald eyes.

"Very well. Get ready; you will leave this afternoon."

"Yes." Sakura bowed to her mentor and departed.

The Hokage watched as her young apprentice left her office. Her bronze eyes transformed into ones full of worry. The strong and powerful shine they usually have, disappeared.

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Sakura was walking in the hallway. The voice inside of her mind commenced again.

**Everything is going according to plan, eh Sakura?**

_Yes. I finally got my first mission._

**Now, we better get ready.**

Sakura nodded in agreement.

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Back in the Godaime's office, Shizune entered.

"I'm guessing you gave Sakura her mission." Shizune said.

"I did." Tsunade answered as she lay backwards in her chair, resting her back.

"Did you tell her, Tsunade-sama?" The assistant asked.

Tsunade looked at her assistant with a solemn expression towards the question. Shizune quickly knew the answer.

"She has a right to know. I mean, he is the one responsible for her parents' death after all."

"I know that Shizune but you have to understand." Tsunade closed her eyes momentarily and sighed. "Sakura is just recovering from a serious mental breakdown. A news like that will only make things worse. Besides, I can't let her lose focus on her mission. If she knew that Kabuto was responsible for her parents' death, then the mission will be jeopardized. Her emotions and anger will compel her and drive to act accordingly to them. She won't think straight and that would be fatal. She must be focused and not be driven by revenge. Remember, her mind is in a very fragile state, we can't also jeopardize her health. She'll know when the appropriate time comes."

Shizune nodded but had a worried face. Though what Tsunade said was true, she still felt like Sakura had to know the reality of the situation. However, Tsunade had always known what's best so she accepted Tsunade's judgment about the issue.

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Sakura tied her red headband in the bandana style she always does. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her emerald eyes gazed with strength and solemnity yet they had a stoic and monotonous expression.

**This is it Sakura. You're chance has finally arrived, you ready?**

_Yes. Let's do this._

Just at that moment, Sakura heard a knock on her front door.

"Sakura-chan? It's me!" the impeccable, bright yet scratchy voice called.

The rosette girl sighed and rolled her eyes annoyed. She wasn't going to spend time with anyone anymore but, the one thing she'd never do is not answer the door if she was present. For some reason, she never liked that; though she didn't even know the reason herself.

"It's opened! Come in! I'm my bedroom!" Sakura finally replied.

Naruto entered and headed towards said bedroom.

"Hey Sakura-chan."

"What brings you here?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing really. Just wanted to see how you were doing." The blond boy answered with a shrugged and with his unforgettable grin.

"Well as you can see I'm doing well." Sakura faked a grin in return.

"I ran into Kakashi-sensei while I was coming here. He said that you were going to retake missions. Is that true?" Naruto inquired.

"Yes that is true. As a matter of fact, I have a mission soon."

"Really? Well, good luck then! And I hope you and I get partnered for a mission like in the old days, ne Sakura-chan?" The hyperactive boy smiled brightly.

Sakura grinned nervously in response to Naruto's smile.

"Well, when you get back let's go to Ichiraku and celebrate. My treat!"

Sakura lowered her face for a moment. Naruto noticed it.

"Is something wrong?" he quickly asked. "You feeling ok?"

"Sorry Naruto, but I won't be able to eat ramen with you. I have to focus from now on and I need to use all the time I have to train for future mission. I can't fool around and take it easy anymore."

Naruto looked at Sakura's emerald eyes. He felt an uneasy feeling as he gazed at them. Something felt strange; something wasn't right. He wanted to know but knowing Sakura she wasn't going to say anything. So instead, he went along with Sakura's response to his invitation.

"Awwww!" Naruto pouted.

"Sorry. But you can invite someone else to eat with you, you know. Try and get a girlfriend."

"Nah. I'm not into that." The blond shook his head.

The rosette girl shrugged, "Whatever you say. Well, I better go to Tsunade-sama's office. My mission will start in a matter of minutes."

"Right. I'll see you when you get back." Naruto grinned expectantly.

Sakura nodded with a half-grin instead.

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Sakura went to the Godaime's office once more to await her companions for the mission.

The door opened and 2 jounins entered. One of them was Genma; however Sakura didn't know the other jounin. He had short dark brown hair with a lot of volume at the back and with long bangs at the side and he had onyx eyes; he was about Genma's height so Sakura estimated he was in his late 20s.

"So you're the other ninja for the mission. I'm looking forward to his even more now." Genma commented with a grin and as always he had that senbon in the side of his mouth.

"Same here." Sakura replied with a faded grin.

"This is Sanada Gin." Genma introduced the other jounin.

"A pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san." Gin bowed.

"Like wise, Sanada-san." Sakura bowed in return.

"Well, now that the introductions have been done let's cut to the chase. I'll repeat your mission. You are to infiltrate a hideout that was found near the Village Hidden in the Rain and bring one of the ninjas for questioning. Handle the rest as you see fit but bring one of them along with you. And I'll add this…please bring a ninja that you see fit to have information. Understood?" Tsunade said with the same solemn expression in her bronze eyes as she always did.

"Yes." The 3 jounins replied.

"Good. Now go." Tsunade dismissed. The 3 jounins bowed and left the office.

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Genma, Gin and Sakura exited Konoha Gakure's gates.

"Where do we head?" Sakura inquired.

Genma took out a map. The map had covered the distances between Konoha and the rain village and had the location of the hideout marked.

"According to the map, the hideout is not far from the rain village." Genma said.

"So if we hurry up without stopping, then we can reach the rain village by nightfall." Sakura added.

Genma nodded in agreement.

"May I suggest that we infiltrate the hideout tomorrow morning" Gin suggested.

"Why? Nighttime is better for an ambush." Sakura said.

"I know but listen. Their surveillance could be heavier at night since they could be expecting intruders. After all, I doubt that they haven't known that Konoha is on their trail. Besides, if we rest we will be in better shape to fight and is more likely to catch them by surprise since I doubt that they will expect an attack in mid daylight." Gin continued.

"That's makes sense. Attacking at night would be most appropriate but if we go without resting, as we will, it would be difficult to concentrate. So we will follow your suggestion Sanada." Genma said. "Is that ok with you, Sakura-san?"

Sakura gave an affirmative nod.

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Before the jounins reached the entrance of the rain village, they did a transformation jutsu and changed their physical appearance. Sakura had long jet black hair with bangs and blue eyes; Genma had short dirty blond hair and onyx eyes; Gin had a small mahogany ponytail and shorter bangs and bronze eyes. They had told the ninjas at the entrance that they needed to rest in the village since they where on a mission which was elsewhere and it was far. The ninjas believed them and allowed them entrance to the rain village.

Sakura, Genma and Gin stayed in a cheap inn where they discussed their strategy to infiltrate the hideout.

"Even if we haven't seen the place, if we don't let our guard down we can accommodate the strategy to our advantage and make it work. Sakura-san, Sanada, you ready?" Genma said in a strong tone.

Sakura and Gin gave a firm nod in response.

**This is it Sakura. Finally the moment we've been waiting for has arrived. Don't screw it up.**

_I know. I won't mess up._

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Morning had arrived. The 3 jounins had already moved out towards the hideout. When they found it, they kept their distance and studied the movements all the while concealing their presence. There were 2 ninjas outside keeping guard. One of them had short navy blue hair and the other one had short burnt brown hair. Sakura summoned a small grayish-white slug in order to spy on the inside. The slug sneaked in unnoticed; the slug saw only 2 ninjas. One with medium-long gray hair and the other had short brown hair; they appeared to be discussing an issue.

"Very well. We'll capture one of those two. Sakura-san, Sanada…you know what to do."

The 2 jounins nodded. Both did the same hand sign and a second of both appeared out of the smoke.

The shadow clones attacked the ninja's in surveillance. The 4 ninjas engaged in a kunai battle. The other 2 ninjas outside heard the noise of the clanging metals and came outside.

"What the fuck is going on-" the gray haired ninja said.

The brown haired one pointed at Sakura and Gin, "Look at their headbands!"

The gray haired ninja narrowed his eyes.

"Shit! Those are leaf ninjas!" he cried.

The 2 ninjas were about to aid their comrade but then the real Sakura and Gin along with Genma appeared in front of them.

The two rain ninjas took a jump backwards and prepared for battle. The gray haired ninja studied their opponents.

"You take the girl. I'll take the others." He whispered to his comrade.

The brown haired ninja nodded in agreement.

The gray-haired ninja charged at the Konoha shinobi's and threw some shurikens. Gin used his kunai to repel them while Genma used his trademark sebon. The gray haired ninja did a series of hand signs.

"Suiton: Bakusui Shōha!"

The ninja jumped as a massive amount of water started to spit from his mouth.

Thinking quickly, Genma did a series of hand signs.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

Multiple fire balls came out from Genma's mouth, sent to repel the gray-haired ninja's water attack. The fire and the water clashed, causing a reaction. Smoke surrounded the battlefield.

Sakura stood from a distance, worried about her fellow comrades. The smoke didn't allow to her to see what was going on. She decided to use the smoke as a chance to create an ambush for the enemy. But as soon as she started to focus her chakra in her hands, one of the enemy ninjas engaged from above, throwing shuriken.

Sakura jumped backwards and dodged them quickly but the brown-haired ninja had disappeared. Suddenly, a massive spiraling blast of water was headed towards her from behind.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

Sakura gasped, alarmed at the danger that befell on her but her reflexes made her roll into the ground sideways and dodged the attack.

Again, the ninja cried the jutsu out and send a second series of water blasts at the rosette kunoichi.

Sakura jumped out of the way and began to focus her chakra in her hands.

The ninja was about to send a third series of attack but Sakura wasn't not going to allow that. She focused the chakra to her fist and with a warrior-like yell, punched the ground below her with all her strength causing the surrounding ground to level and a crater opened that made the ninja wobble sideways, losing his balance and focus.

Sakura took advantage of her enemy's opening and by concentrating the chakra to her feet she sped up her pace and appeared in front of her enemy's face.

Her emerald eyes met his. She gave the ninja a smirk; he looked at her with wide opened eyes as he realized the danger he was in. She was too close for him to dodge or counter any attacks.

_Shit!_

Then, Sakura punched the brown-haired ninja in his stomach with full force sending him flying. He coughed up blood as he hit a tree, sliding to the ground.

Sakura stood in front of him; face lifted giving him a menacing look.

_I broke a few of his ribs with that punch. I doubt he'll be able to stand up for a while._

**Good job Sakura.**

But her thoughts were interrupted by the swooshing sound of shurikens. The kunoichi turned her head towards where the sound was coming from but got alarmed as soon as she saw the massive number of shurikens that headed her way covered in fire.

_Shit, I can't dodge them all…_

Sakura braced herself to try and dodge whatever she could but suddenly, there was en explosion as water balls reacted with the fire.

Smoke covered the field once more.

The two ninjas looked around, keeping the guard, expecting an ambush. They waited expectantly; looking up, left, right, behind, but there was no sign of either ninja.

"Fuck where the hell are they!" cried the burnt-haired ninja

Suddenly, a hand came out of the ground and grabbed the feet of both ninjas.

"Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu!" cried Genma and Gin.

The two enemy ninjas were pulled to the ground and only their heads were outside. Gin and Genma rose to the surface.

Gin used a wind ninjutsu to disperse the smoke; everyone looked at the enemy ninjas as they grunted in the ground; struggling to free themselves.

"What about the prisoner?" Sakura inquired since both Genma and Gin had aided her.

Genma pointed behind; Sakura turned around.

Another Genma was carrying the gray-haired ninja unconscious in his shoulder; apparently it was a shadow clone.

"Well now that we've got what we came for, let's head back to Konoha." Gin said.

Sakura and Genma nodded.

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The three Konoha shinobi leaped from tree to tree; Genma carrying the still unconscious gray-haired ninja.

Suddenly, Sakura sensed something. It was a fade yet tingling feeling that they were being followed.

"I guess they managed to escape." She commented with a stoic tone.

"I sensed them too. What should we do Shiranui-san?" Gin added.

"Keep going. If we don't stop we have better chances of escaping them." Genma said.

Sakura started to analyze the situation; she looked behind.

_They are pretty far behind but if they step up their pace they could catch us. Genma has the prisoner so it'll be only me and Gin to fight them. But knowing Genma, he'd probably give the prisoner to us and fight them himself. Still, he'd be in trouble. At least since I'm a medic-nin I know what to do and if I'm injured I can heal myself._

**Do it Sakura. **

"Genma-san. The enemies might eventually catch us. I suggest that I stay to fight to hold them off. That way the safe return to Konoha would be guranteed for you and Sanada-san and the mission will be successful." Sakura said.

"That is out of the question Sakura-san. I can't jeopardize your life that way. Besides, we can still out-run them."

Sakura looked down, defeated. She was really hoping into fighting them. There was something inside of her that gave her the feeling to do so; it was like a tingling feeling that wouldn't go away in fact, it would get a bit stronger by the second.

**Don't give up Sakura. You must insist. Forget what he says. The only thoughts, the only opinions that count are ours. Trust me; you fighting them would be perfect for you.**

"I'm sorry Genma-san but I must insist. Let me stay and fight them. I can handle it. I'm strong and I'm a medic. I'll hold them off while you to keep going."

"No. You're still too outnumbered Sakura-san. I won't let you." Genma replied; his voice more firm.

Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration. The tingling feeling got worse. Now it felt like her blood was boiling in desire to fight; like a forbidden temptation.

"Shiranui-san is right. It's not rational. You might get yourself killed." Gin added.

Sakura ignored him, "I'm sorry Genma-san but I must protest. I want to do this. I'm not weak. I don't care if it's three against one. I want to fight them. Please let me do it."

Genma closed his eyes and analyzed the tone in which Sakura protested. It was a determined tone. He could also sense she was frustrated. But she was serious about what she was saying. She was truly willing to do it. And if her voice was anything like her emerald eyes, they'd be surely expressing the same thing.

Sakura's eyes always had a way of persuading people. Just one look in her emerald eyes, and you could easily be absorbed in their inexplicable vortex. Even the strongest shinobi have succumbed to her eyes.

In the end, he knew she would keep protesting until she was granted her wish so he could do nothing but succumb to it.

Rolling his eyes and softly groaning he finally said, "Fine. But you better not die on me, got it?"

A small triumphant grin appeared on Sakura's face.

"Yes. Thank you."

Then, she turned and headed in the opposite direction.

"Will she be ok Shiranui-san?" Gin asked worriedly.

"She better be. Or else, I don't think I'll be able to stand it."

Genma closed his eyes.

_Sakura, you better come back alive._

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The three enemy ninjas leaped from tree branch to tree branch, attempting to catch up to the Konoha intruders.

"One of the Leaf ninjas is headed this way." The navy-blue haired ninja commented.

"Which is it?" the burnt-haired ninja inquired.

"I think it is the girl."

"Heh. That bitch sure is feisty. She must be crazy thinking she can fight all three of us. This should be interesting." The brown haired ninja added with a smirk.

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**Sakura, don't let any of them escape. This is your chance.**

_I know. I'll take care of them._

The rosette kunoichi leaped through the trees, eagerly awaiting her confrontation. She was aware that she was going to be outnumbered, but she was as equally confident of her skills. She was the Godaime's apprentice and possible successor. She had even changed from the weak girl she was before, to a strong shinobi; not afraid to fight.

What's more, now she had shunned herself from everyone she knew so that she could become even stronger; so feelings won't get in her way and crush her, as they have done so many times to her; feelings were a hindrance and although it was still a bit difficult for her to avoid having urges to let her sentiments out, she knows that keeping them to herself is what's best.

Sakura was following the chakra sense of her enemies, but it suddenly disappeared.

She stopped at the ground, carefully surveying the area.

_They must've sensed me. Good. _

Silence overwhelmed the atmosphere. Nothing was heard; not the sound of birds, nor the sound of the wind; just sepulchral silence. It gave an eerie feeling.

But that feeling was disturbed when fire balls came raining down.

Sakura jumped out of the way but her eyes caught another series of attacks heading towards her but this time they were water balls.

She focused the fists and punched the water blasts, turning them into nothing more than just puddles of water in the ground.

As soon as she got to the ground, her attackers disappeared from sight and so did their chakra.

_Damn. Are they gonna keep this lame game?_

But one of the ninjas, the burnt-haired one, sneaked behind Sakura and grabbed her by the neck.

"Gah!" Sakura grunted, struggling to free herself from her enemy's grasp.

"You're pretty quick kunoichi but this is it for you." The ninja whispered in her ear with a rash voice.

"Not…quite…" Sakura said hoarsely.

Suddenly, the burnt-haired ninja felt an intense pain in his stomach as Sakura's elbow hit him.

The ninja groaned in pain and held his abdomen with his hands. But he was interrupted with punch in the face; followed by a rotating kick that sent him flying, hitting a tree.

However, there was no time for breaks. The navy-blue haired ninja charged at Sakura with a punch that would've connected to her face if she hadn't blocked it with her arms.

But she gasped out in pain, as the ninja's free hand had punched her in the stomach.

Sakura started to cough up blood, while holding her abdomen with her crossed arms trying to endure the pain. However, the ninja didn't allow her to take a chance to ease herself as he decided to kick Sakura in the cheek, but she barely managed to block it by using her left arm though she slid through the ground.

Sakura kneeled at the ground, whipping off the blood in her mouth.

_Damn, I have to finish this soon or else things might get difficult later on._

But as soon as she stood up, her opponent was charging fast towards her and in just seconds, he was right in her face.

"You're tough, but you should know your place girl."

Sakura gave him a threatening glare.

"Make me."

"Bitch!!"

The ninja clenched his fist and threw in an uppercut but Sakura managed to dodge it by moving her face sideways.

She clutched his fist but, for a reason unknown to Sakura, her opponent took a step backwards. But before she could think of any theories regarding his action, she was overwhelmed by a pain that came from her ribs as the brown-haired ninja kicked her and sent her flying to the nearest tree.

Sakura slumped to the ground but, she wasn't given a chance to even recuperate from the impact as she was slowly engulfed in what seemed a giant sphere of water.

"Suirō no Jutsu!" cried the burnt-haired ninja.

Sakura floated in the water sphere, and looked at her opponents as they walked towards her. However, she saw that they positioned themselves in a fighting stand.

Both the navy-blue haired ninja and the brown-haired ninja began a series of hand signs. She noticed that a miniature whirlpool began to form in each of the ninja's hands.

But Sakura only looked at them puzzled.

_They can't possibly plan to attack me with it. The water prisión technique doesn't let anything go in or out._

"Suiton: Hahonryū!"

Both ninja's charged at her at a high-speed with the water spirals in their hands.

Sakura looked at the ninja's closely and noticed that just as they were only feet near her, her captor released his hand from the water sphere and broke the jutsu.

Sakura's emerald eyes opened wide in the face of danger, as she realized the plan but it was already too late; as she got hit by both spirals and got sent flying once more, stopping at the ground.

Because of the power her enemies had in that spiral and she received twice of it, the impact in the ground caused her flip and fall on her back as she spit a mouthful of blood.

She struggled to lift her head from the ground and to stand up but was grabbed by the hair.

"Aahh!" Sakura screamed, holding the hand of the burnt-haired ninja that had her hair in his strong grasp.

"You're tough bitch but we've had just about enough of you. You may be able to handle us in a one-on-one but as you can see…" He pulled the rosette hair.

Sakura grunted.

"You don't stand a chance against all three of us at the same time."

He looked at his comrades, "Let her have another one. She's too weak she won't be able to withstand a second impact."

The other two ninjas nodded in agreement and prepared themselves to begin the jutsu once more.

Sakura struggled to free herself from her captor but it was futile. He'd only pulled her hair even more causing her neck to strain.

_I've used a lot of chakra with them already and my whole body's in pain. I can barely move. _

She closed her eyes to await the attack that would seal her fate.

**What the hell do you think you're doing Sakura?!**** Get your ass up and fight!!**

_I can't…I…_

**Don't give me that! Is this what you've been training for? To pitifully die by the hands of these bastard?! Huh?!**

…

**Do you wanna die a weaklings death?! Huh?!**

_N-no…_

**They called you weak. Are you weak?!**

_No._

**Then, do what you have to do. Prove them wrong. Show them what happens when someone treats you as weak.**

Suddenly, Sakura's expression changed as she opened her eyelids.

The burnt-haired ninja looked at her curious, since she had freed his hand from her grasp. But all that was interrupted by an imense pain that came from his leg as Sakura plunged a kunai in it.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!" the ninja screamed painfully as he held his leg.

But Sakura had no time watch since the other two ninjas were already charging towards her at full speed with their Hahonryū in hand.

Her eyes narrowed as she ducked and punched with both her hands the navy-blue haired ninja's left leg and the brown haired ninja's right leg.

Crack.

That was the sound of their bones.

Excruciating screams filled the surrounding as both ninja's held onto their legs in pain.

Suddenly, the brown haired ninja charged at her with the bloodstained kunai in his hands.

"I'll kill you you goddamn bitch!"

But Sakura just merely clutched his hand.

He looked at her with frightened wide eyes and he looked into Sakura's penetrating, stoic emerald eyes.

Crack

The ninja kneeled and screamed in agony as he held onto his broken wrist.

The rosette kunoichi looked at the three ninjas; her look would switch from the burnt haired, to the brown haired, to the navy-blue haired. She watched, still and emotionless them as they twisted in their agony.

**I know what you're thinking Sakura. Do it. **

…

**Do it now!!**

Sakura took the kunai from the ground; she held it up high and stared at the burnt haired ninja.

He looked up towards her with terrified eyes, hands and body trembling at the fearsome woman that stood in front of him with a killing look. A look she didn't have before.

But he couldn't think of anything else; Sakura swung the kunai and stabbed him in the arm since the ninja had turned to avoid being stabbed in the chest which was where Sakura originally had aimed.

Blood gooed from his arm; it caused a tingly sensation inside Sakura.

She quickly took the kunai out and stabbed him again, this time in his side.

A scream of pain escaped the ninja from his throat.

The ninja's comrades limped towards him to aid him, but that only resulted in Sakura slashing them. She slashed the chest of the navy-blue haired ninja and then turned towards the other one and did the same.

Blood splattered all over her face, her hand already taken the crimson pigment.

The three ninjas were far from dead though; struggling and groaning in pain on the ground; blood flowing from different parts of their body.

**Don't stop Sakura. Keep going on!!!**

And just as they were far from dead, Sakura was far from done.

She kept swinging her kunai, slashing them, stabbing them. Blood fountain everywhere, splattering in Sakura's outfit, staining her white shorts; a gushy liquid flowed from her victims body along with the blood as her kunai pierced them, ending in her hands.

The more she felt, the more she wanted to keep going. She didn't even understand why she felt such a desire to kill them but it was something that boiled in her blood; if she didn't do it the she'd just burst from the inside.

And thus, the only sound heard in the surrounding was the agonizing screams of the ninjas, as they died by Sakura's merciless hand.

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The chorus of the agonizing screams had reached their finale. The only sound audible, was that of Sakura's pants.

The kunoichi rested by a tree trunk; panting; with an emotionless face similar to that of a doll. Her whole body had taken the crimson color, it was as if she had a crimson velvet wrapped around her and her black gloves had changed their color to crimson. In her hand was the blood engulfed kunai.

She stared with empty emerald eyes at the three blood covered corpses. She looked at her gloves and trembled as she saw the pigment they had taken.

_I-I…did this?_

**Yes you did.**

_I-I killed them…_

**Yes. You did. You did well Sakura. I'm proud of you. I know this will leave a bitter taste at first, but it'll pass as time goes by. However, I will allow tears just this once. **

She lowered her hands and looked at the corpses in front of her; they all had holes in them, with blood flowing out of them; the bodies had been mutilated.

Suddenly, an image invaded her mind; an image that she never wanted to remember ever again: the image of her parent's mutilated bodies in the medic bed.

Her eyes began to sting from the tears that were welling.

She curled up in a fetus position on the ground; trembling.

This was the reason why she resigned from taking missions and only asked to be called for emergencies.

She didn't want to end people's life anymore.

She wanted to save them.

But now…body reeked of the rotting smell of blood.

The odor caused her stomach to twist, making her nauseous. She tried to contain herself from vomiting, but it was futile.

She had mercilessly murdered three men.

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**A/N:** So, what you guys think? Was the fighting scene good? Well, if you ask me Inner Sakura is not being a good influence for our Sakura. And Sakura sure didn't like what she did, but she realized it too late. Hm...I wonder how things will be in Konoha now. I mean, I don't think Inner Sakura is going to leave Sakura alone, she did enjoy what Sakura did to those ninjas. But, we'll just have to see, ne:) Well, Read & Review!! Thank you!


	12. Chapter 12: As the blossom fades

**A/N:** Didn't take me that long to update, now did it:) In case none have noticed the title of the chapter it's a bit longer...it just couldn't fit all in the bar. But anyhows, you guys will see why it's called like that. Though it doesn't take a genius to find out...moving on! Hope you enjoy it! It's a bit sad...

Also...this chapter wasn't betaed. So if anyone here can become my new beta and help out, I'd appreciate it. I'd prefer someone who's good with proofreading and can be available as much as possible.

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**Chapter 12:** As the blossom fades in the horizon

"I can see that your mission was successful. I'm glad. Now, where is Sakura? Why didn't she return with you?" Tsunade asked with an agitated tone.

When Genma and Gin returned but didn't saw Sakura with them, she got alarmed fearing the worst. Genma noticed the agitated tone in which Tsunade asked him about Sakura. He didn't expect any less though.

"Sakura-san decided to stay behind and hold off the other ninjas while we escaped with the prisoner one. I was going to let Sanada stay to aid her but she insisted in fighting them alone. It's my fault Hokage-sama I shouldn't have allowed her to take that kind of action. If something were to happen to her, I take full responsibility for it."

"Better pray that nothing _does_ happen to her." The Godaime let out a loud sigh. "But what's done is done. I don't blame you completely though. Once Sakura has made up her mind about something there's no way in making her do otherwise. Let's just hope that she comes back alive."

Tsunade's thoughts were interrupted when Kotetstu stormed into the office.

"Hokage-sama! Sakura's returned!"

"Bring her here immediately." Tsunade quickly responded.

Kotetsu nodded and, with the same speed as he entered, he exited.

Genma closed his eyes and let out a loud sighed of relief.

Sakura had returned.

He and Sakura were quite acquainted. Not only from past missions but also from the times they sometimes spend when she was free from work at the hospital.

Though he wasn't an ocular witness of Sakura's despair after Sasuke's betrayal, he was aware of it and was told about from Kakashi. He remembered seeing Sakura train with Tsunade ever day, for countless hours, taking advantage of every time she had to improve her skills. In a short amount of time, she had become one of Konoha's more prominent ninjas.

He had deep respect for Sakura and admired her a great deal. Moreover, there was no denying that he considered Sakura to be quite a handsome young woman with a lot of prospects. After all, she had a few guys attracted to her and dare say that at a moment he was one of them.

Hearing that Sakura had made a safe return to Konoha took a heavy weight off his shoulders. Not only did he fear of losing a comrade but he also feared losing a friend.

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Once Genma and Gin were dismissed from Tsunade's office, Sakura was called in.

The Godaime's apprentice quietly entered; standing straight and form with a solemn face.

Tsunade rested her elbows on her desk and intertwined her fingers, resting her chin on top of them. She looked straight into Sakura's eyes; bronze met emerald.

"What the hell were you thinking, fighting them off by yourself? You could've been killed."

"I know the situation I was putting myself in Tsunade-sama but, the mission's success was priority. I had to make sure of it." Sakura replied with the same tone of voice as her face.

"And for that matter you acted recklessly!" Tsunade snapped in return.

Sakura felt an impulse to back away from Tsunade's roaring voice, but quickly compelled herself.

"I understand your frustration Tsunade-sama but it was my decision. It's what I thought was best. Besides, I was able to fight them all, otherwise I wouldn't be here." Sakura added, again, with monotone.

Tsunade noticed the way Sakura responded; it was different. Her eyes were empty; they no longer had the pure shine they did. She sounded emotionless, like some kind of robot or doll, with no value to life; like she doesn't care whether she's alive or dead.

She looked at Sakura quizzically, trying to comprehend what on earth is going on inside her mind. First she requests to retake mission; second, she takes an interest in joining ANBU; and third, she decided to act recklessly and fight by herself.

Something was definitely wrong but she didn't have the slightest idea to what and that fueled her growing frustration even more; asking would be futile since Sakura wasn't going to answer anything so she left everything as it was for now.

With a hand in her face, Tsunade sighed exasperated, "What's important right now is that you're alive. Just don't do it again or I'll remove you from taking missions, got it?"

"Yes." Sakura nodded affirmatively

"You may leave now."

Sakura slightly bowed and departed.

Once the rosette kunoichi had left the premises Tsunade sniffed and made and uneasy expression; her bronze eyes moved down, with a painful look in them.

_She smells of blood…_

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As soon as Sakura's foot, covered by her opened black boots, stepped outside if the Hokage tower, her body was tightly embraced by a pair of arms whose owner was impeccable.

"Sakura-chan!" the scratchy voice cried with the most utter happiness.

Though Naruto had caught her off guard, she still maintained her balance. However, she still tumbled to the side a bit. But, unlike last time, she didn't face the urge to reciprocate the hug. She just stood there stoically, with yet another one-sided show of affection.

"I'm so glad you're back safely!! To be honest, I was a bit worried about you." Naruto said grinning.

"There's really no need to worry, you know I'm a jounin. I'm capable of handling these kinds of missions." Sakura dryly replied.

"But I appreciate your concern over me." She added to cover her former crude response, with a fade grin.

"Hey, we should celebrate your return from your first A-rank mission with some ramen! Want Kakashi-sensei to come? I've got cupons!!" He showed Sakura his 3 paper cupons with his trademark smile.

Even if Sakura was able to endure his affectionate hug, a part of her was still a bit susceptible to his wonderful smile; the smile that would automatically paint a smile in her face; the same smile that cheered and comforted her when she felt lonely. She would smile, because he smiled.

**Sakura…**

Her inner voice said with an alarming tone; warning her.

It didn't take the rosette girl a second before she knew what her answer should be.

"Sorry Naruto, but I'm a bit tired because of the mission. I should go and rest."

"Oh…" The blonde boy's cerulean eyes looked down in disappointment.

"Well, it's ok; I understand. You just rest, kay?"

Sakura nodded with another fade grin and left, "Thanks."

Naruto waved at her smiling again, but as Sakura's figure became dissident, his smile began to fade along with his lowering arm. His cerulean eyes lost their shine and now had a painful and sorrowful look in them.

_What's happening to you Sakura?_

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After her unexpected encounter with Naruto, Sakura hurried herself to her apartment; avoiding any unwanted meetings with her former friends.

Once she finally reached her apartment, the kunoichi decided to bathe. After being out a day in the woods, she longed for a good shower. In fact, she wasn't even aware she had been showering for almost 2 hours.

When she got out, as she dried her soaked short rosette locks with a towel, she sat on the edge of her bed and felt into mesmerizing thoughts.

Fresh flashbacks of when she killed those 3 ninjas from the Rain village flooded into her mind; the sensation of the splashing blood, streaming from their bodies to hers; her black gloves and clothing, obtaining the crimson pigment from her enemies; the feeling from when her kunai pierced her opponents skin, making a gushy liquid spur along with the blood; how their screams of excruciating pain would choir on the sepulchral silence of the forest.

But what annoyed her the most was something that was still present: the rotten smell of blood that hadn't disappeared.

She sniffed the palm of her hand.

Yes. It was still there. It disgusted her; it made her nauseous.

_Ugh! Why won't it go away?_

**You'd best get used to it. I don't doubt you will smell it often.**

_But, that was just once. I-I had to kill them. Or else they would've killed me._

**Don't fool yourself Sakura. That's what the situation appeared to be…but you know very well that you had the desire to kill them.**

_Th-that's not true!_

**Don't lie! You know it's the truth. You had all the frustration and anger locked up inside of you that you just wanted to let it all out. Tell me, didn't you feel more…clam, after killing those miscreants?**

_Um…I…I-I don't know…_

**Did you feel any of those angry and frustrated feelings inside of you?**

_No…_

**Exactly, Sakura, you can't show feelings to anyone nor can you express what you feel to them, but…you can let them out some other way; a way in which the only people that must know are yourself and maybe your enemies. **

…

**Sakura, you followed my voice and it all went well. You felt better because you let out all those negative feelings from inside of you by killing them. I could hear the inside of you crying, mourning to leave. It had the desire to be released by the death of those ninjas. And you did it. **

…

**Sakura…keep doing as I say and I'll guarantee your success and your position in ANBU.**

Reluctantly, Sakura agreed with her inner voice's words.

Qualifying for ANBU was her primary goal and she had to do whatever it took to accomplish it.

But her reflections were interrupted by a knock on her front door.

"Sakura, it's me." Said the voice, apparently of a man.

Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing who the man that had just knocked was.

"Coming."

Sakura opened the door, "Yea."

"I-" Kakashi's sentence was interrupted as soon as he saw Sakura's attire. All she had on was a wrapped towel and her short hair was still dripping.

His onyx eye was widened as it traced Sakura's body but he quickly regained his sense and cleared his throats.

He felt the blood flush to his face but, luckily, his masks concealed it.

Sakura rolled her eyes once more and sighed exasperated, "It's just a towel you know…come in. Don't worry, I'll change, alright?"

Indeed, she changed to some gray cotton shorts and a bubblegum colored tank top; appropriate to the time of day which was around noon.

Kakashi sat on the couch as he always did, and Sakura was beside him.

"Once I heard you had returned from your mission I decided to stop by to see how it went."

"It went well, thanks."

"From what I heard from Tsunade-sama was that you fought three ninjas by yourself."

Sakura eye's narrowed a bit, "So Tsunade-sama tattled; that's expected. Basically, all I do goes to your ears eventually whether I told you or not."

"Now…are you blaming me?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow and he came a bit closer to Sakura.

"I never said I was blaming you. I'm just stating a fact." Sakura replied, eyes closed, with an annoyed and serious tone.

After a momentary pause, Kakashi regained his original position in the couch and commented with a much more serious tone rather than the flirtatious one had had before.

"Sakura, you can't conceal it no matter how much you might want to. It'll go away in a matter of time, probably tomorrow but for now is inevitable…you killed those three ninjas, didn't you?"

His onyx eye penetrated Sakura's emerald ones.

The fact that she reeked of blood meant that those ninjas didn't die from one stab only. If that was the case, the smell of blood wouldn't even be noticeable.

He kept looking directly at Sakura's eyes hoping that she would look away, or make a surprised expression after the accusation to prove him wrong. He knew Sakura, and he knew that she wouldn't kill that way. He also knew that even if her life was in danger, she would never kill cold bloodlessly. Yet, her emerald eyes didn't escape his own for a second which made his heart sink as he realized the truth.

"Sakura…this isn't like you…"

"So what? It was what had to be done. I had to make sure no one would follow us. Besides, I was being attacked by them. I had to kill them to protect myself." Sakura snapped giving Kakashi a small glare.

"I don't get why you're making such a big deal about me killing those ninjas. I'm a shinobi. We're killers for hire. We _kill_ for money. What I did is no different to what another shinobi would've done; to what _you_ would've done."

"It's not the fact that you killed them Sakura, it's the reason behind it. You didn't kill them because you _had_ to; you killed them because you _wanted_ to. You had the _desire_ to kill them. I'm right…aren't I?"

Kakashi gave Sakura a painful look as he realized the truth of his own words. Again, Sakura made no sign of avoiding his eyes.

He came close to her, "Sakura…I don't know what happened that day but I know you're still in pain about it and about Lilly too."

Sakura lowered her face; her pink bangs covered her eyes. She enrolled her fist as her face darkened.

Kakashi continued, "But…what you're doing isn't the answer…"

"How do you know?!" Sakura burst. "How the hell do you know that what I'm doing isn't the answer?! Huh?! You think you know everything about the world and about what people should do!!"

Sakura glared at Kakashi, giving him a look full of anger. Her emerald eyes had taken a dark tone; they were no longer gleaming brightly. They looked opaque and dark; upset and angry. They were able to penetrate anyone; intimidate anyone. They were like deadly venom; the more they glared the more Kakashi would feel the painful venom spreading across his body.

"I made my decision. I'm going to stand on my own two feet by myself and I will do everything by myself. I don't need anyone. I won't depend on anyone."

She resumed her original position.

"You're right, you don't know what happened that night so don't come telling me what I should or shouldn't do because you don't have a fuckin' idea to why I'm doing it."

Her emerald eyes kept giving Kakashi the same strong and deadly glare.

Kakashi had always been able to read Sakura. He could tell what she thought, what was in her heart, what she felt…all by looking at her emerald eyes.

He was able to fully understand Sakura's character and heart, even more than Naruto and Sasuke. It was as if Sakura was transparent to Kakashi's eye, but not in a negative way. She was transparent in the meaning that Kakashi was able to see straight through her; that's how well he knew her.

But for the first time, he couldn't read her at all. He didn't know what was going on in her mind, what her feelings were, or what her eyes told him about the present situation. He couldn't understand why Sakura was acting the way she was, she had never been like this, ever; and he certainly didn't comprehend why this was happening.

All she showed was a Sakura who avoided everyone, who no longer cared about her life or others, whose eyes had changed to expressionless ones. It was as if she had turned into some kind of doll.

Sakura had shunned herself completely from him as if she had built some sort of wall between them.

His frustration to understand the reason behind Sakrua's metamorphosis of persona was becoming greater by the second.

But again, he felt that same sentiment he despised: the sentiment of feeling powerless. First, he couldn't do anything to protect her from whatever had happened to her, and now…he couldn't do anything for her either.

What he could feel was that Sakura was enclosing herself in a lonely hell, a hell that she created herself. But no matter how much he wanted to save her, he couldn't. Sakura wasn't allowing him to get her out of that hell. It's as if, she _wants_ to live in that dark abysm of suffering.

So, the only thing that was at his reach was to just sit, and listen as Sakura's words and eyes penetrated his ears; and feel the pain as he watched in his eyes how Sakura began to fade away and become a stranger.

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"I'm worried about Sakura-chan…" Naruto told Hinata and Neji.

The three of them had agreed to eat lunch together. The Hyuugas noticed Naruto's worried and sad expression. During lunch he was still has his cheerful self but he was also being awfully calm at the same time.

Both Hinata and Neji had noticed that something was amiss and asked; Naruto answered their inquiry.

"She…she hasn't been herself lately…have you noticed?"

Hinata and Neji looked at each other and nodded reluctantly.

"Yes…we have…" Hinata said, with a lowered voice.

"She has been avoiding us, saying that she has to train for missions but, they all feel like excuses to not spend time with us. Still, I'm surprised that she accepted missions again. As far as I've known Sakura-san she doesn't like to do missions anymore unless her help is _needed_ for the mission's success and if Konoha is in true danger." Neji added.

"So…it wasn't just me. But…but why?" Naruto covered his face with his hands in frustration and gritted his teeth.

It pained Hinata to see Naruto in such anxiety. Both she and Neji knew how much Naruto cared for Sakura; they also cared about Sakura deeply. Sakura had always been a kind, generous and selfless person who always put everyone feelings above her own. She helped everyone in the village no matter who it was and was always dedicated.

For Neji, especially, Sakura occupied a great space in his heart.

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"_HINATA-CHAN?!" Sakura cried startled._

_In front of her laid Hinata in a medic bed severely injured. Cuts covered her body and blood streamed down her arms, shoulder, chest and stomach. _

_Tears welled in Sakura's eyes as she saw the battered body of her friend. She was used to seeing such images but, she couldn't handle it well when once of her friends were involved._

"_We were on our mission but we got ambushed. There were too many…I did my best in keeping Hinata-sama alive and escaping but…but now I…" Neji lowered his head in shame as he enrolled his fists. _

"_Please…you have to save Hinata-sama, Sakura-san!"_

_Sakura gazed into Neji's pleading pearl eyes._

"_Of course." The young medic replied with a firm nod. "Take her to the emergency room!" _

_Neji stood in front of the two doors that led to the dreadful place called the emergency room._

Please save her…Sakura-san…

_Neji was sitting in a couch; elbows rested in his knees, with his hand covering his face. His body was injured as well, but he wasn't as severely injured as Hinata. Nurses and doctors had offered to tend his wounds, but he declined their offers._

_He looked at the two dreaded doors once more. _

_No sound was heard; not a sign of any movement that signaled him that Sakura might come out._

_His face was still the same worried one as when he came into the hospital._

They have been there for about twelve hours…

_Suddenly, he heard the sound of rushing footstep. The paces came closer and close until finally, the doors opened._

_It was Sakura._

"_Hinata-chan will be alright." _

_Neji closed his eyes and sighed in relieved as he heard the great news. _

"_Thank you Sakura-san…"_

_Sakura grinned but suddenly, she lost her balance and fainted_

"_SAKURA-SAN!!" Where the last words she had heard before losing unconsciousness._

_Sakura's eyes fluttered open; her vision began to identify her surrounding. She looked at a ceiling which there was no mistaking, it was the hospitals. _

"_Sakura-san! Are you alright?" The rosette girl quickly recognized the distressed voice; it was Neji's. _

_She slowly turned her head towards him, "Wha-what happened?"_

"_You fainted, right after you told me that Hinata-sama was alright." Neji answered._

"_Ah, right." Sakura remembered, but she just went to sleep again._

_Neji remembered what one of the doctors had told him about Sakura's condition._

She's just tired. After all, she spent all those twelve hours straight trying to revive the Hyuuga girl. Haruno-san used almost all he chakra in trying to save her. In fact, if Haruno-san hadn't, the Hyuuga girl would've been dead by now. She came here with a lot of injuries, broken bones, and some internal injuries as well; not to mention the blood loss. We told Haruno-san to not force herself too much or else her life would be in danger by the continuous loss of chakra. But as always, Haruno-san was too stubborn and too focused into saving the girl's life, that she was willing to sacrifice her own.

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Neji closed his eyes as he remembered that day where he could've lost Hinata.

_Sakura-san…if it wasn't for you, Hinata-sama would've been dead. I don't know what I would've done if she had died…thank you…I don't think my life and afterlife would be enough to repay what you did… _

The genius Hyuuga remembered the way Sakura looked at him as she assured him she would save Hinata. Her emerald eyes shined full of determination and strength, like they always did. You could feel the kindness and selflessness in her words. In fact, Sakura always had an atmosphere of kindness and selflessness surrounding her wherever she went. Even when she was sleeping in the medic bed, the room was filled with all of those qualities.

But now, it was all different. That atmosphere she once had was beginning to fade, now, it projected darkness and loneliness. No. There was a specific word to describe it; apathy. Yes. That's what Sakura would emit now, apathy. And now, she was slowly becoming distant and estranged to him.

Hinata touched Naruto's hand and held it in consolation. Naruto looked into her gentle pearl eyes.

"We understand how you feel Naruto. We also care Sakura-san. But the only thing we can do is just hope that Sakura-san will be alright in this new path she has chosen." Neji commented.

Naruto nodded, "I hope so too…"

"We're here for you Naruto-kun." Hinata added with the tenderest of tones.

Naruto gave them a small grin, content with his friends comfort. He had needed it at the moment.

"Thanks…"

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Naruto decided to go to straight to his apartment once the lunch date was over. All he wanted now was to be alone. He wasn't in the mood for doing anything else.

Though Hinata and Neji had given him the momentary comfort he needed, it wasn't enough to cheer his day. Sakura was changing into someone he didn't know, and he didn't even know why. His best friend, the person that would always tell him everything was now living in a world of cold silence which she created herself.

Many emotions compelled him at the moment. So many at the same time that he couldn't make out which they were. But if he had to choose one, the most prevalent of all, it would probably have been the sentiment of feeling powerless. Powerless because he couldn't help her; powerless because he wasn't able to prevent whatever tragedy caused her to transform; powerless because even now he doesn't know what he can do for her; powerless…because he doesn't even know why.

The blonde boy sat on his bed and looked towards his night table. There was a picture frame, which he picked up. His cerulean eyes studied the photograph that was covered by the glass.

The photograph contained two familiar figures together. One was Naruto with a summer kimono, and by his side was Sakura with her summer kimono. She was hugging his arm, holding what looked like a green plush doll and leaning towards him with the biggest smile in her face, so big that you could even notice the rosy color her cheeks had at that moment.

_That was the first time Sakura decide to go out…to a summer festival…_

_I remember I always used to ask her out to the festivals but she never wanted to go…it was too painful for her…it reminded her of Sasuke…_

_Can't really blame her after all…the last festival before he left, he had gone with her…the first festival Sakura had gone with Sasuke…_

_But that day… she agreed to go._

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"_So Naruto, all read for the summer festival I see." Teuchi said._

"_Yup! And I'm going with Sakura-can!" Naruto replied with a smile so big, it could coverer his face._

"_That explains why you look so handsome Naruto." Ayame added with a wink._

_The blonde young man blushed as he scratched the back of his head._

_Just then, Sakura arrived, "I hope I didn't make you wait long Naruto."_

_Naruto turned. _

_As soon as he saw her, his cerulean eyes widened. _

_Sakura was wearing a red summer kimono, decorated with light purple flowers that assimilated to cherry blossoms, and a light pink obi. It really matched her emerald eyes and rosette hair. The latter had grown a bit; it now touched her shoulders and the ends were a bit wavy._

_She looked absolutely breathtaking._

"_Let's go Naruto." The young woman said with a grin._

"_Y-yes. Let's!" Naruto replied, returning the grin._

_Once at the festival, Naruto and Sakura crossed paths with their other friends. All were glad to see Sakura and enjoying herself most of all. They all knew what Sakura had gone through; the depression and despair she fell into was so severe that she had not only stopped eating but she also spent the entire day in her room. The farthest she would go, was the bathroom if any. Having her slowly come out wasn't something that happened from one night to the other. _

_The two youngsters stopped at every booth they found along the way; scooping fish, buying some fried noodles, playing some games…which by the way, Naruto had won her a plush doll. _

"_So little lady, which would you like?" the stand owner said. _

_Sakura surveyed the wall which had a variety of plush dolls to choose from. All were animals. _

"_I'd like the frog on the top corner of the left." Sakura pointed._

"_This one?" the stand owner asked, pointing at the frog._

_Sakura nodded, "Yes."_

"_Why a frog?" Naruto asked curiously. Sakura had never been the type to like animals such as frogs._

_A grin painted on Sakura's face as she embraced her frog, "Because…it remined me of you Naruto. I mean, you can summon toads. So…I'd just thought of having a frog too. After all, it's all thanks to you that I'm able to be here right now. You and Kakashi-sensei of course…if it wasn't for you guys, I don't know what I would've done… I don't know where I'll be right now…"_

_Naruto watched as Sakura walked towards him and hugged him. _

"_Thank you so much Naruto…" _

_He felt her face sink in his shoulder; hiding her face. He heard the soft sobs, mumbling too. _

_The blonde boy returned the hugged and held Sakura in his arms tightly, "You know I'm always here for you Sakura-chan. Always."_

_After that, Sakura asked the stand owner to take a picture with her and Naruto. _

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Tears dripped on the glass of the picture frame.

Naruto's cerulean eyes gleamed of the water that welled up in them, and that would stream down his cheeks. He embraced the picture frame and curved forward; almost taking a fetal position.

"Why Sakura-chan…why won't you tell me anything…"

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**A/N:** So, what you guys think? The part of Naruto made me really sad. Poor Naruto...he's really suffering. Well, everyone is. Problem is Sakura isn't aware of that...better said, Inner Sakura is the one behind it, so it seems. I hope things work out...don't you? I actually planned on showing Sasuke and Ino on separate scenes, so I won't make them mysteriously dissapear and what not but I thought the chap was already too long so I'll probably write about them in next chapter. Maybe a small scene of them feelings the aftermath of what they did. But I'd like to hear you guys opinions about it. Should I write it?

Well, Read & Review please. Thank you. :)


	13. Chapter 13: Shadows

**A/N:** I'm sorry I took so long to upload. Lately I've been busy donig other stuff and also, I had no motivation to continue. Nothing bad...just that I began to brainstorm for a new fanfic and apparently, I got more caught up and excited about brainstorming for the new one that I put this one aside for a while.

This chapter was not betaed. I still do not have a beta so if there are any grammatical errors, please excuse them. I hope you enjoy.

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**Chapter 13:** Shadows

"Has the prisoner spoken yet?" Tsunade inquired Morino Ibiki.

"Yes. We finally managed to extract the information out of him." Ibiki answered.

"Tell me." The Godaime looked at the officer attentively; elbows resting in desk, fingers intertwined and chin rested on them.

"According to him, Kabuto is planning on destroying Konoha." Ibiki said.

"Destroying Konoha?" Tsunade said bewildered. "He's too much of a genius to think such a foolish thing. It'll only be suicide."

"It's not really destroying Konoha, Hokage-sama. What he means to do by 'destroying' it is something else. However, the prisoner had no more information about this issue. Our guess is that maybe he plans of cutting Konoha's resources. But it's just a theory. Another thing we found out is that Kabuto is planning on allying himself with another village: the Village Hidden in the Grass."

"First Rain and now Grass? Why would he ally himself with such small villages?"

"We don't know that yet, Hokage-sama. This is all the prisoner knows." Ibiki commented.

"Hm, very well. That'll have to do. Thank you Morino-san, you are dismissed."

Ibiki bowed at Tsunade before leaving the office. As soon as he left, Shizune entered.

"What do you plan on doing Tsunade-sama?" she asked.

Tsunade sat pensively; eyes closed.

Kabuto was allying himself with small villages; according to the prisoner he wants to 'destroy' Konoha, all in revenge for Orochimaru? It didn't really make sense.

_What's your purpose Kabuto?_

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**Kakashi's P.O.V**

I lay pensively on my bed. My quarrel with Sakura had left a bitter taste in me and pain in my heart. That day, I felt as if my world was starting to crumble. I constantly and foolishly hoped that it wasn't real; it was just a nightmare. That Sakura wasn't really changing…I couldn't bring himself to accept this new Sakura; once with bloodlust, one that would no longer tell me what she felt, one…that became estranged to me; but I very well new that it was real. It was a real nightmare.

All of my students were precious to me. I cared dearly about Naruto and Sasuke and always wanted what was best for them; but Sakura had always been a special case. She had occupied a special place in my heart. She had become someone that I wanted to protect the most, someone that I wanted to make sure she'll always be happy. She was my ray of happiness…my sweet cherry blossom.

What I had lost, I had regained from her most. She reminded me of Rin a lot. Rin was also as caring, kind and cheerful as Sakura. Even if I didn't reciprocate Rin's feelings I still cared for her as my friend and teammate. She would always soothe me with her company and her smile would make me smile; I felt serene with her. But once Rin had died, I didn't have someone that would bring me that same serenity or that soothing feeling. I also had stopped smiling like I used to with Rin.

Until I met her…Sakura. It was as if my world slowly began to regain life. When I first saw her really smile, it reminded me of Rin's. It made me happy. I know she's no Rin; she could never be; just as Rin could never be her. But still, I would automatically smile whenever I saw Sakura smile. I liked how rosy her cheeks would become when she did; it made her look so full of life and happiness, just as I wanted. Being with Sakura would also soothe me; she was like a medicine to me. She rescued me from the loneliness I felt when Rin died.

That's why I hated myself from not being able to protect her from the despair she fell into when Sasuke left, when Lilly abandoned her, and from whatever happened _that_ night. I had vowed to protect her and make her happy and I failed her. I know I did. She was able to recover from first two issues, but the last one is still a mystery and I can rest assure that it's the cause of what's happening to her now.

Seeing her in that loneliness, the same one I fell into when Rin died, pains me; watching her as she sinks in that lonely hell of darkness; a hell which she won't say anything about. She stays silent, locking up and suppressing all of her suffering and heartaches to herself; sowing her lips with the needle of solitude; living in a cold silence; turning into a doll.

Why won't you tell me anything Sakura? You used to tell me everything. What happened to you? Why won't you trust me anymore? Why won't you open your heart to me? Why can't I read your eyes anymore? Why do they look so empty, dark and opaque now? Why does your voice sound to emotionless? Why do you look so lifeless now?

Why Sakura?

Why?

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The next day, Kakashi decided to walk around the village and do some errands.

The silver-haired men walked pass a bar but caught glimpse of a familiar figure that sat on one of the chairs.

He stopped and looked. It was Sasuke.

For a reason he didn't know at the moment, he felt anger towards him. Probably because he had disappeared for all this time and apparently hasn't looked for Sakura. Still, he calmed himself and returned to his level-headed state of mind. After all, nothing said that Sasuke was the culprit; the best thing right now is to just talk.

"Hey Sasuke. Been some time, hasn't it?" Kakashi said with his usual smile.

Sasuke looked at Kakashi, "Hey."

"May I join you?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I don't mind."

Kakashi took his seat. However, he didn't really wait to get straight to his point.

"Now that I've finally seen you I've been meaning to ask you how Sakura was doing."

Sakura remained silent for a few seconds.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her." he bluntly replied.

Kakashi obliquely looked at him; Sasuke showed no expression of worry.

"How odd. I mean, you _are_ her boyfriend after all."

The raven-haired young man closed his eyelids for a moment and sighed; a bit exasperated by the questions.

"Well, like I said, I don't know."

"You know, I heard that Sakura is retaking missions in order to apply for ANBU." Kakashi said.

"Is she now?" Sasuke replied; but there was no eye contact.

"However, things aren't going so well. From what I heard, Sakura has been changing. She no longer cares about her life or others and is now avoiding everyone; being by herself. No one knows what happened, she won't say anything. But...I fear that someone hurt her gravely. After all...she went through a lot worst things..." Kakashi explained.

Sasuke listened attentively at Kakashi's words. He tried to keep his level-headed and solemn expression but something inside of him tingled with guilt. After all, how could he forget that night, where Sakura had seen him with Ino. Even if it didn't really affect him personally that she had seen him, what caused him to worry was how Sakura had taken it.

"Like what?" Sasuke finally asked.

"Well...I don't know the details but, she went into a mental-break down." Kakashi lied. After all, he was an ocular witness about Sakura's despair.

Sasuke enrolled a fist and stood up.

"What ever happened to Sakura must've been grave. I'm sorry to have heard about it. Unfortunately, I haven't seen her nor do I know where she is. But what's important is to see how she can be saved."

With that said, Sasuke turned to leave but Kakashi stopped him.

"Sasuke."

The boy halted.

"What I hope, is that you didn't have anything to do with it."

After that, Sasuke resumed his steps outside to the village.

Kakashi heard how Sasuke's steps would slowly disappear until they were no longer heard. He stayed in the chair and closed his eyes.

_Sasuke...please don't do this to me...I had trusted Sakura to you..._

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During that time, Naruto was also walking through the village. He passed by the Yamanaka flower shop and decided to pay a visit to Ino.

She was at the front counter counting the money when she heard Naruto enter.

"Naruto!" she answered cheerfully. "What a surprise to see you here."

"Hey Ino." Naruto said. However, he didn't have the same cheerful tone as Ino.

Ino quickly noticed it. After all, if Naruto isn't hyperactive, out-going, loud and annoying, then something is definitely wrong.

"What's wrong Naruto?"

"It's Sakura-chan..." Naruto replied with a low tone.

Ino froze for a moment at the sound of that name.

"Wha-what's wrong with Sakura...?" she finally asked reluctantly; afraid of the answer.

"She's not good...she...she's changed..." Naruto answered.

"How so?" the blonde young girl asked bewildered.

"I don't know lately…she has been avoiding everyone...she won't smile anymore...she won't talk to me anymore...she won't hug me anymore..." His voice began to break.

Ino watched as Naruto's cerulean eyes began to well with tears.

"Something's wrong Ino...something happened...and she...she won't tell me anything..."

The blonde kunoichi looked at Naruto with sad eyes as she saw him cry; guilt compelled her. She knew that Sakura was like that because of that night, when she had seen her with Sasuke.

"You...you didn't saw her that day..."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Ino inquired.

"You didn't saw her...she...she was all cut...her arms...she...Sakura-chan had cut herself...th-there was blood all over..."

Ino's eyes would widened by the second; she was gape and she began to breath heavily by Naruto's confession.

_Sakura..._

"Kakashi-sensei told me that later that night she..." Naruto paused; he swallowed away the cried that had been caught in his throat.

"She...she even tired to kill herself..."

"No." Ino gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands.

"Kakashi-sensei also told me that Lilly abandoned her." Naruto added.

"What? Lilly left?!" Ino cried in shock.

"Yea. She left Konoha; she left Sakura when she needed her the most...but I doubt that Sakura is like this because of that. She's too strong. Something else must've happened...but what...who did it? Who?" the Kyuubi vessel lowered his head.

"I didn't do anything, alright!" Ino snapped.

Naruto looked at her startle by her reaction. It was something he certainly didn't expect.

"I-er...I mean...I..." the young girl lowered her head, embarrassed but she felt a hand in her shoulder.

"It's ok Ino. I know you didn't do anything. You'd never do anything to hurt Sakura-chan." The blond boy said with a half-grin.

_Stop Naruto...you're only making it worse..._

Ino's sky blue eyes looked away with a melancholic expression.

"You ok Ino?" Naruto asked when he noticed the face Ino had made.

"Yea I'm fine...I'm just...worried about Sakura..." Ino replied.

"Me too but...we can't do anything about it...and that's what frustrates me. Not being able to help her..." the blonde boy said as he narrowed his cerulean eyes.

A brief moment of silence overwhelmed the atmosphere until Naurto resumed their conversation.

"Well...I should be going now...I'm sorry I dumped you this but, I thought you might've wanted to know."

"Ye-yea..." Ino stammered; not sure of how to react.

"Well, see you later Ino." the blonde ninja waved as he headed towards the door.

"Um...Naruto." Ino softly called.

Naruto turned, "Hm?"

Ino held both her hands and held them close to her chest.

"I-uh...t-thank you...for telling me..." she said; however, she was looking away.

Naruto nodded in return. "Sure." He half-grinned and left the Yamanaka store.

As soon as Naruto left, Ino's sky-blue eyes began to well with tears. But just then, she saw someone stop in front of her shop. When she looked at the person, her sky-blue eyes widened.

It was Sasuke.

He stared at her with his trade-mark solemn expression; onyx eyes met sky-blue.

Ino stared at him, trembling, though she didn't even understand why. Her body froze completely; she held her hands even tighter; scared that he might want to come in.

Lucky for her, Sasuke decided to leave and continue his way to wherever he was heading.

Once Sasuke was out of sight, the tears Ino had inside her streamed down. She walked backwards, sobbing, until her back pressed against the wall. She leaned on it and slid down to the floor.

She then, hugged her knees and dug her face in them; sobbing, and crying.

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"Tsunade-sama, we just found out something new about Kabuto. Apparently the prisoner had left out some information." Ibiki said.

The Godaime looked at Ibiki attentively and intrigued by what information said prisoner had forgotten to tell.

"I'm listening."

"Well, as I've told you before Kabuto plans on allying himself with Grass. Now, apparently Kabuto told the prisoner more or less how he was planning on accomplishing said alliance. According to the prisoner, Kabuto will send a team of Sound ninjas to visit Grass and talk to their Kage." Ibiki explained.

"I see." Tsunade comented. She cupped her chin with her left hand and looked down pensively.

"Well...in that case what we need to do is prevent those Sound ninjas to enter Grass. Thank you for your work Morino-san."

The man bowed, "A pleasure."

"One last favor, I'll appreciate it if you could bring Kotetsu and Izumo here for me." the blonde woman said.

Ibiki gave her a nod, "Right away Hokage-sama." And left the office.

Tsunade lay backwards in her chair; close her eyes and let out a loud sigh.

"Who would've thought that Kabuto will be this troublesome?"

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"You called for me Tsunade-sama?" Sakura said as she opened the door.

"Yes. I have a new mission for you." Tsunade replied though she was writing in some papers so she didn't make eye contact with Sakura.

Once Sakura had reached a reasonable distance, Tsunade halted her paper work and looked at her.

"I just found out that Kabuto plans on allying himself with the Village Hidden in the Grass."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and looked at Tsunade quizzically, "Grass? But, that's a small village. What would he want with Grass?"

"We're still not sure, according to what Morino Ibiki found out, Kabuto plans on destroying Konoha. Our guess, it's to probably cut off its resources and make us vulnerable. In any case, Kabuto will send a team of Sound ninjas to do the arrangement for the alliance in Grass. Your mission is to stop them."

"Stop the Sound ninjas you mean?" Sakura asked.

The female Hokage nodded, "You will be leaving in a few hours. Your teammates have already been informed. However, I'd prefer to see you all before you leave."

Sakura nodded. However, she was curious to know who her teammates were. She'd rather have someone she wasn't too acquainted with since it's easier to not have much conversation with those kinds of people. But she refrained herself from showing any signs of curiosity. Ironically though, Tsunade did mentioned Sakura her teammate's names; as if she had read her mind. But Sakura wasn't very thrilled about what she heard.

"Your teammates will be Izumo and Kotetsu."

Frustration was what Sakura felt, if any; frustration because of all the people, Izumo and Kotetsu were people who Sakura was not only well acquainted with as ninjas but also because they used to be good friends.

**Don't worry Sakura. We'll figure something out.**

"I see. Well, if you'll excuse me Tsunade-sama, I'll prepare for my mission." the young kunoichi bowed and left the office.

Tsunade merely watched as her young apprentice exited; but she watched with preoccupied eyes. After all, how could she forget the scare that Sakura had given her when she hadn't returned with Genma and Gin in her first mission? Sakura had promised her that she wouldn't act that way again, and Tsunade believed her. Sakura never broke a promise; she was someone who would die rather than break it. However, she still couldn't help but feel worried for her.

_Sakura...please don't do anything reckless..._

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Sakura tied her red headband bandana style as always; she looked at herself in the mirror, which by now had been fixed.

**I know you feel uneasy about doing a mission with Izumo and Kotetsu. But trust me, it'll be fine. Just remember everything.**

_I know._

After having their meeting with Tsunade, the three Konoha ninjas headed to the Gate to begin their mission.

"I don't know about you Sakura-san, but I was sure looking forward to this. After all, it sure has been a long time since we've had a mission together." Izumo commented with a cheerful grin, directed at Sakura.

Sakura merely just half-grinned in return; but didn't really reciprocate Izumo's cheerfulness. "Really? Well, it has been some time."

"Well, in any case, if we want to hurry and get to Grass before the Sound ninjas do, we'd better speed up our pace now and rest as little as possible. Ninjas such as this usually aren't very strong. And besides, I doubt Kabuto knows about us being on his tracks." Kotetsu commented.

Sakura nodded in agreement but maintained her serious face. "Yes. Let's hurry."

With that said, the three ninjas jumped in the nearest trees and began to leap from branch to branch, all the while concentrating some of their chakra on their feet to go fast.

During the trajectory towards Grass, Izumo and Kotetsu tried having conversations with Sakura since they really haven't had that much time to talk to her. However, Sakura would just say a few words and end whatever the conversation was in an abrupt way, leaving Izumo and Kotetsu quiet until they could think of a new subject to bring for another attempt to commence a conversation.

**Sheesh...persistent annoying bastards...**

Sakura's inner voice complained.

"So Sakura-san, I haven't seen you with Sasuke lately nor have I really seen much of him. Everything ok with you two?" Kotetsu asked.

Sakura's reaction to Sasuke's name wasn't like it used to be before. Before, she would freeze at the mere sound of his name, tremble and cry. But now that she had mustered up her strength thanks to her inner voice, she could now endure the painful memories Sasuke's name would automatically bring. Still, something she couldn't help was to have a transient freeze in her body and her eyes to widen a bit.

She didn't respond for a few seconds but answered soon after.

"Well, like you said Kotetsu-san, I haven't been with him lately so I can't really say if he's ok or not. But I'm pretty sure he must be doing fine."

The two young ninjas looked at each other, surprised by Sakura's response. It showed no sign of emotion, or affection. Which was strange to them both because Sakura was someone that cared for everyone and her voice was always so gentle and smooth; it would project such kindness and care towards the people. And now, seeing her respond to their question in such a stoic way, and regarding Sasuke no less bewildered them.

"But um...aren't you his girlfriend?" Izumo inquired.

Sakura remained silent. It angered her that word; that term which both Sasuke and Ino had mocked in the most despicable of ways. They had not only betrayed her and laughed at her behind her back because from what she saw that night it didn't appear to be the first time, but also right in her face; making here sink and look as the lowest and most inferior of creatures.

"Did you two break up or something?" Izumo added. Though he couldn't even believe the question he was asking. After all, Sakura's love towards Sasuke wasn't a secret. She had told them about it so to him, asking if they broke-up or not was something that he thought he'd never heard himself say.

"I haven't seen him. That's all there is to it. He must be busy doing whatever he's doing and I'm busy training for missions. Just because we haven't been together does not mean that speculations such as us breaking-up are the main reason. It could be...but then again, it could be not." The rosette young girl dryly replied.

Izumo and Kotetsu exchanged glances once more; still surprised and puzzled by Sakura's dry words. It didn't take them more than this to speculate that something was amiss with their young friend.

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It didn't take them long to reach their destination. Luckily for them, the Sound ninjas were nowhere to be spotted. The team had decided to spread around and cover the grounds that surrounded the possible gates of the Grass village. Because it is a small village they weren't too far apart from each other.

"Any signs of them?" Kotetsu asked his comrades through his communicator.

"No." Sakura answered.

"Nothing over here." Izumo said.

Sakura sat in a tree branch; she surveyed the area but there was no sign of movement nor did she sense anyone coming her way.

She sighed.

_I wonder how much longer do we have to wait. _

**Hn. Who knows? But they should be on their way. Let's just hope they come our way**.

_Why's that?_

**Sakura, you know why. If they come our way we can deal with them ourselves and kill them, don't you think?**

_Perhaps...it will be rather inconvenient to fight them with Izumo-san and Kotetsu-san with me._

**Exactly. You killing them would only make things worse. It will rouse even more questions and people will be on your tail even more; especially Tsunade and Kakashi.**

_Yes, you're right. Let's hope things do go on our favor._

**Trust me Sakura. Even if they don't come our way, we **_**will**_** make this be in our favor.**

"Kotetsu! Sakura-san! I can sense them my way. It's a little fade but I can sense their chakras." Izumo said through the communicator.

"Right. Stay there and we'll get to where you are. After that we'll go towards them and ambush them. Sakura?" Kotetsu ordered.

"Yes."

Sakura jumped from the branch she was in to the one in front of her and kept that rhythm. However, instead of taking the turn that lead to Izumo's position, she kept going straight.

**Ah. I see what you're doing Sakura. So you plan on getting to them first, don't you? I like that idea.**

_Like I said, it'll be inconvenient to fight them with Izumo-san and Kotetsu-san with me._

**I agree. Don't let me stop you. Do your thing Sakura.**

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The Sound ninjas leaped from branch to branch; there were three, 2 males and a female. The female had long golden hair tied in pigtails; one of the males had short crimson hair and the other one had short black hair. They were all in their Sound attire.

"Che. We're finally arriving. It's about time." The female said.

"Stop complaining." The crimson man returned.

"I'm not complaining! Just saying."

"You're always complaining." the black haired man added.

"No one asked you asshole!" the female cried in return.

"Would the both of you just shut your goddamn mouths already?!" the crimson man said annoyed; apparently he was the leader of the group.

The leader came to a stop; the rest followed.

"Something wrong?" the female asked.

The leader's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area carefully, "I thought I sensed someone's chakra."

"Is it near?" the black haired man inquired.

"Can't tell; it disappeared." Leader answered.

A shadowed figured hide itself from the enemy ninjas behind some leaves. Dark green eyes glared at them, awaiting the moment to strike.

As the Sound ninjas resumed their way to the Grass Village, they stopped in their tracks once more as they came face to face with a ninja. It was Sakura. She stood in front of them, with hardened emerald eyes and a deadly glare. The Sound ninjas watched her attentively.

"It looks like she's a shinobi from Konoha." the female commented.

"We ask you to allow us to pass. We do not have any intentions in having an unnecessary fight since I do not think we have quarrels with you. If you let us continue our way, we can avoid unnecessary bloodshed." the leader addressed Sakura.

"Not going to fight?" the black-haired man said puzzled.

"You dumbass. Our mission is to make the treaty between Sound and Grass. We have to avoid any irrelevant confrontations or else, who will make the treaty? Use you brain for once, che." the female said.

"I cannot let you go any further. As your mission is to pass, my mission is to prevent said passing. Now, prepare yourselves because I will not let you go easily. My mission is also to eliminate you all." With that said, the rosette girl took her fighting stance.

The Sound ninjas had no choice but to abide to Sakura's words.

"Do not let your guard down." the leader told his comrade. In exchange, they gave him a firm nod.

Sakura took the initiative and charged at the Sound shinobis with a kunai in hand. The Leader stepped in first and blocked Sakura's attack with his own kunai thus, the metals clashed.

Sakura and Leader grunted as they both battle against each other for domination.

"You two hurry and go!!" Leader cried.

The female and male ran besides the clashing ninjas but suddenly, kunais began to rain on them. They dodged it by rolling on the ground and hitting away the remaining ones with their own kunais.

Before the leader could react, Sakura clutched the arm where he was holding the kunai. He realized that she was about to stab him so in return, he grabbed the hand were Sakura was holding her kunai.

But a groan of pain was heard, as the leader fell on his knees when Sakura kicked him in the abdomen with her knee.

As a second Sakura jumped from the trees, the Sakura that heard Leader vanished leaving a trail of smoke.

_It was a shadow clone? But…it was so powerful…_

Leader looked at Sakura in awe as she stood in front of his comrades. Sakura smirked as she punched the ground with all her might. A crack formed and it dispersed throughout the ground, breaking it, leveling it.

The Sound ninjas jumped out of the way. However, before the black-haired male could react, Sakura appeared in front of him and punched him in the cheek, sending him flying towards a tree.

The female ninja charged at Sakura with full might but Sakura managed to dodge her attacks; in return, Sakura stroked back. The female ninja blocked the series of punches that Sakura began to throw. Sakura did a swirl kick on the ground, but the female jumped. However, as soon as she jumped, Sakura threw a kunai which stabbed the girl in the abdomen.

She fell to the ground as she groaned in pain.

Sakura walked towards the fallen ninja, but Leader charged at her. Sakura noticed him and disappeared in a flash right in front of the leader's eyes and reappeared beside him as she punched him in the side sending him flying. But before he crashed in the tree nearby, Sakura kicked him in the back throwing him in reverse; a loud grunt was heard as he fell on the ground.

"Hn. Child's play." Sakura commented cockily. They were clearly no match for her.

She stood still as she watched the ninja grovel in the ground. Suddenly, she used her kunai and deflected a kunai that had headed straight towards her. She subtly turned her head and smirked at the black-haired ninja that stood awed at Sakura's reflexes.

The rosette ninja punched the ground in front of her. The black-haired ninja did not see the ground level in front of him as it had done previously, however the ground below him exploded and caused him to fly towards a tree bark. He loudly grunted when he connected with the tree as he coughed up blood.

Sakura walked towards him, stoic face, with emotionless dark eyes. She held her kunai in her hand. The black-haired ninja was unconscious; his head had hit the tree bark; blood streamed down from the back of his head.

The young girl waved her kunai up high as she prepared to stab her enemy. Blood splashed, tainting Sakura's face and attire. But she noticed that her kunai had not pierced her primary target but another one. The leader had stepped in front and had taken the blow, protecting his fallen comrade.

"Big brother!" the female cried.

"Foolish; trying to protect the futile." Sakura coldly said. "It does not matter what you do, you will all die eventually."

The kunoichi made another attempt, this time to finish the leader since the kunai had already cut him in the chest.

"Stop!!" a female voice cried.

Sakura halted; she turned and looked at the woman.

"Please just stop…" she said; voice full of tears. "Don't kill him…don't kill us…please…we don't want to fight you."

"We…we've been under Orochimaru's reign since our childhood. Orochimaru killed our parents and then took us. He ordered us to be trained to become his pawns. We've been tortured and abused by him. And after he died, Kabuto took over…and that was even worse. I never thought anyone could be as sadistic as Orochimaru but…apparently Kabuto went over our expectations. Our mission given to us was to make the treaty with Sound and Grass…but our real mission…was to escape. After the treaty had been done…we planned on sending Shadow Clones back to Sound and say that we accomplished out mission successfully…while the real us escaped. We just wanted our freedom…life…and futures back…" the female continued; her voice broke and sobs accompanied by tears took over.

Sakura listened attentively. Her words began to reach her; Sakura began to lower her hand but before she had done so completely, something inside of her triggered. She felt her inner self take over her whole body and before she realized it…she had no control over it; as if a shadow had loomed over her and covered her, transforming her.

A sinister evil smile appeared in Sakura's face. Her emerald eyes turned dark, and cold.

"How ironic. You escaped to find freedom…and yet…by doing so you have just met your death. What a shame. Perhaps you would have been able to live longer by being tortured in Sound."

She turned and took a last look at the half dead shinobis in front of her. And still with that sadistic grin, she pierced them. The female ninja watched horrified as Sakura killed her brother and her teammate. Her eyes widened, tear filled as the woman began to transform; her rosette hair became longer and jet black, her emerald eyes took a snake-like form and her skin turned as white as snow.

Sakura walked towards her with her blood-stained kunai. The female tried to run, but suddenly, an excruciating pain overwhelmed her as she noticed that two kunais was plunged in her leg left leg.

She held it, trying to endure the pain. Then, a shadow hovered over her. The female's body began to tremble; her skin turned pale, and her hands were cold and numb. She had never experienced such a feeling of terror before…to be in front of such a monster as that kunoichi was.

Her eyes were full of such bloodlust, and she merely looked at her with an expression that showed amusement over everything. But before she could even think of anything else, the female began to share the agonizing pain that it had befallen on her brother and teammate a few seconds ago.

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Izumo and Kotetsu had met in the indicated spot but Sakura had not come.

"Where's Sakura-san?" Izumo asked.

"You mean that she hasn't arrived?" Kotetsu added alarmed.

"No."

Kotetsu enrolled his fist and gritted his teeth, frustrated.

_Where could she have gone?_

"Kotetsu!! The enemy's chakras have disappeared!" Izumo suddenly cried.

"What?!" _It couldn't have been Sakura…_

"Izumo! Let's go!" Kotetsu said.

They ran as fast as they could, worries flooding their mind. But what they weren't prepared was to see the scene that awaited them.

Both ninjas stood gape with wide opened eyes when they reached the battlefield. In one corner two male ninjas lay dead with mutilated bodies, as in the opposite corner there was the corpse of a female ninja whose body had been pierced as well; puddles of blood surrounded the corpses.

"Wha…what happened here…?" Izumo asked horrified at the scene. It looked like some beast had devoured them.

"Sa…Sakura?" Kotetsu softly called out.

Sakura was opposite to both corners where the corpses laid. She stood there with a lifeless, emotionless face and expressionless, dark eyes; her face was had blood stains and so was her attire; her hand still held the crimson tainted kunai.

She looked at them.

"I have dealt with the enemy. Our mission has been accomplished." She said with a cold, stoic voice.

To Izumo and Kotetsu, everything was like a bucket of cold water was dumped on them, like someone had stabbed them on the chest, like their hearts were being constantly compressed; they blinked hoping that the image would go away, that it wasn't real but nothing happened. The corpses were still there. They have experienced death many times and they have killed as well…

…but…

…they had never seen someone mercilessly and sadistically kill anyone like Sakura had done. And the fact that it was Sakura pained them. Sakura was not only a gentle, kind and considerate person but she was someone who would never kill unless it was necessary. She hated killing and that's why she had resign from being a shinobi, and yet…

…there she was; she had taken the horrible crimson pigment of blood.

And what was worse…

…is that she had done it voluntarily.

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**A/N:** Well, I finally made Sasuke and Ino appear after what they did. So, what you guys think? I'll say that this will be the last time they will appear until further later in the story. The purpose was just to portray how they felt after their betrayal. I'm sure that by now you must all hate Inner Sakura (my cousin hates her too lol). But be patient, I have my plans for her. (wink) Next chapter will be a very awaited one (or so I hope...hehe). I plan to put a lot of emotion in it.

Just a side note. The new fanfiction I'm writting is an ItaSaku one. I've been working extremely hard with it and for those who do like this pairing, I'd appreciate it if you could read it as well. It's titled Genesis of a Forbidden Fruit.

Well, Read & Review please. Thank you!


	14. Chapter 14: The Broken Glass Part I

**A/N: **Finally!! Here's chap. 14. I've already explained my reasons for having taken so long to update. Thanks for your understanding everyone. I really appreciate it. Well, the next chaps will be the climax of the story so I'm sure you're all looking foward to it and I'll make sure that you all enjoy it to it's fullest.

This is unbetaed and I'm pretty sure all the following chaps will as well. So excuse all the grammatical erros you find.

**

* * *

****Chapter 14:** The Broken Glass Part I 

**3 months later**

"She did it again, didn't she?" Kakashi asked as he saw the disappointed face Tsunade made while she read the report of Sakura's latest mission. Tsunade's silence was enough of an answer to his question.

"And what's worse, we don't know why she's doing this." he added.

"We need to realize here Kakashi that she is no longer the girl we used to know. Sakura has changed; she's far from being the kunoichi we once knew. Something traumatic must've happened to her, to have made her transform like that." Tsunade said.

Kakashi attempted to trace back three months ago when Sakura had first began to develop her change in character, trying to find some kind of clue. But he found none, that is, until he remembered the conversation he had had with Sasuke a while ago.

He subtly shook his head, shaking away the thought that Sasuke was the culprit.

_No...he couldn't have done that. But...the way he answered and behaved was as if, he no longer cared. If he did, he would've gone to her._

_Sasuke..._

"-ashi? Kakashi!"

Coming back to his sense by Tsunade's second call, he looked at her, "Forgive me. What is it?"

"Kakashi, we have to help Sakura and save her. If this keeps going on like this she will eventually break and we cannot afford that. She is slowly sinking into her a hole of despair; she has created her own hell that has been engulfing her into a deep darkness. If this keeps up, it will be too late to save her and we will lose her for good."

The silver haired men nodded at the truth of Tsunade's words. Sakura was indeed engulfing herself in a dark world that she herself had created; a world full of loneliness, and pain; a world that is gradually sucking the life away from her. If she isn't saved soon, Sakura is going to shatter and this time there it will be impossible to put the pieces back again.

* * *

Steam came out from the bathroom along with Sakura; she had a towel wrapped around her and her pink hair was still damp.

"Nothing beats a good hot shower after a mission."

**You don't seem to be affected by killing those ninjas. **Her Inner voice commented.

_Is there a reason to be? We've been at this for a while now. I've pretty much gotten used to it._

**Oh? I didn't expect you to have gotten accustomed to it so quickly.**

_Well, do I really have a choice? If I don't then you will keep taking over my body like that time. And to be honest, I didn't like it._

**Sorry, but if I hadn't, you would've spared their lives. But I know that it's not necessary now. At this point, you have completely shunned yourself from any kind of emotion and feel sympathy for no one. That's how it ought to be.**

_I already know that. _

**Still, you have become somewhat of an arrogant bitch though...**

_How ironic for you to complain? After all, you're the one who persuaded me to act like this._

**Perhaps, but everything is for you own good and you know that.**

_I know. _

Then, she heard two knocks on the door of her apartment.

"Who is it?" she asked as she headed towards the door.

"It's me, Naruto. Let me in, I have to talk to you."

As soon as Sakura heard his voice, she stopped. Narrowing her emerald eyes she stared at the brown wooden door in front of her, knowing that just behind it was standing one of the people she had been avoiding this past three months. And she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about, something she'd rather avoid.

"Sorry Naruto, but I'm tired. I was just going to take a nap. Perhaps you can come later and then we'll talk."

But little effect did her answer have as Naruto quickly opened the door.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, but not this time." He said.

Cerulean met emerald as both Naruto and Sakura glared at each other.

"What do you wanna talk about?" Sakura asked. It's not like she had a choice. Naruto was already in and she perfectly knew that at this point, she couldn't evade the conversation. Though she did cursed herself for having given Naruto a copy of the keys to her apartment.

Naruto kept silence with his head lowered.

"I'm listening." The rosette girl said with a hurrying tone.

The blonde boy remained quiet once more.

"If you're not gonna tell me then-."

"Why did you do it Sakura-chan?!"

Naruto's outburst startled Sakura.

"Wha-what are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! You killed someone again! Why did you do it?! Why are you doing this Sakura-chan?! Why?" The more he yelled, the more his voice began to break.

Before, seeing Naruto in that state of sadness would've made Sakura crumble; it would've made her succumb to it and soften her heart. But now, she had learned to suppress those feelings. It's not like they weren't there, she simply didn't gave in. She had hardened her heart, at least when she was in front of them.

"Why are you so affected by my killings? It's part of my mission. If I don't kill, I'll be the one getting killed instead. You've killed too Naruto. So why are you so affected by something that it's what makes us shinobis?" Sakura said stoically; not a single trace of expression where in her words just cold and dry.

"How can you say that Sakura-chan?" Naruto couldn't believe Sakura's words. He had never in his life seen nor heard her answer in such a way. "How can you, of all people, justify killing?!"

"Because, I can. It's what I had to do."

"Don't lie." The kyuubi vessel narrowed his tear-welling cerulean eyes. "You didn't kill them because you _had_ to. You killed them because you _wanted_ to. It's one thing to protect yourself by killing when you're being attack, but it's another thing to kill them intentionally. You search for you enemies just so you can kill them!"

"Stop it..." Sakura mumbled.

"Why would you do this Sakura-chan? Why?!"

"Enough..."

"Why won't you tell me what's going on?! Why won't you trust me anymore Sakura-chan?!" This time tears streamed down Naruto's face.

"Shut up!!" Sakura snapped back, surprising Naruto.

His sparkling cerulean eyes met Sakura's narrowing emerald ones.

"Friendship implies trust, and trust forms friendship. How can I trust when I have no friends?"

"What are you talking about? I'm your friend Sakura-chan! I've always been your friend!"

"No. That was before. Now, I have no friends."

Naruto's hoped his ears were just toying with him, but the more he tried to ignore Sakura's words, the more he realized the reality in them. And his aching pain only grew even more.

"I don't get it...wha...what are you talking about? I'm your friend Sakura-chan! You can trust me!"

"How the hell do you expect me to trust you, when I got betrayed by the people that I trusted the most?!" At that moment, Sakura cursed herself for having said a clue about her reasons,

"What?" The blonde boy looked at her with wide opened, bewildered eyes.

Sakura looked away, clenching a fist. _Damn...he made me say it._

"I knew someone did this to you...who was it?"

Sakura didn't answer.

"Tell me who did this to you?!" Naruto demanded.

Again, she kept silence.

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto looked at Sakura with saddened eyes, as he came to realize just how far apart he was from her friend. He knew what happened, he knew what changed Sakura...but he didn't know why or who did it. And Sakura didn't want to tell him either. What was worse is that the more he looked at her, the more he became aware of the giant brick wall Sakura had slowly been constructing; the brick wall that kept everyone outside; away from her.

"Just leave Naruto...I have nothing to say..." she softly said.

Knowing that insisting anymore would be futile, Naruto complied with Sakura's demand and left. Just as he was about to walk out of the door her took one last look at what was his former friend Sakura. A lone tear rolled down his face as he silently bid farewell to her, realizing that his friend had disappeared three months ago.

As soon as Sakura heard the closing sound of her door, a waterfall of tears began to stream down her face. The pain of having seen Naruto's tears and sad face had been unbearable to her. She had tried with all her strength to hold back her tears, even though it was tearing her apart.

"I'm sorry Naruto...I'm sorry. But...I'm...I'm just too scared to trust anyone...I'm scared...I-I don't want to get hurt again..."

* * *

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto sobbed in his knees as his face was dug in them. He had tried to get to his apartment after his quarrel with Sakura however, his weak body only managed to drag him to the front of the door.

_"Why are you so affected by my killings? It's part of my mission. If I don't kill, I'll be the one getting killed instead. You've killed too Naruto. So why are you so affected by something that it's what makes us shinobis?"_

_"Because, I can. It's what I had to do."_

_"Friendship implies trust, and trust forms friendship. How can I trust when I have no friends?"_

_"How the hell do you expect me to trust you, when I got betrayed by the people that I trusted the most?!"_

_Sakura-chan was betrayed; someone hurt her and…what did I do? Nothing….I wasn't able to help her…to save her….I failed her….and now…I lost her…I lost her…_

Tears kept streaming down his face along with the aching pain in his chest. He had never felt so helpless and useless before. He had kept all his promises to Sakura; he had tried so hard to keep that precious smile of hers alive.

But now…

…in the blink of an eye…everything disappeared.

However, he suddenly became aware of a detail; a crucial detail.

_Sakura-chan is keeping everything locked inside of her; all her pain. Eventually she won't be able to handle her despair…I…_

…_I have to do something or else…Sakura will break. She'll break more than what she already is. If that happens…it'll be too late._

Naruto rushed to the Hokage tower. He had to tell everything to Tsunade; even if it was just something small, it was enough for them to have a clue. After all, all they wanted this whole time was merely just a clue.

_Tsunade baa-chan can help us. If I tell her what Sakura told me, we can think of a way to help her; we have to!_

"Tsunade baa-chan!!!" Naruto stormed into the office startling the Hokage and Shizune.

"Wha-what is it Naruto?" Shizune asked.

"Tsunade baa-chan I need to talk to you! It's about Sakura-chan!"

The second Tsunade heard that name, her bronze eyes widened. "Tell me."

"I went to Sakura-chan's apartment as soon as I overheard her report."

"You were eavesdropping?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yea, sorry…" The blonde boy slightly lowered his head.

The Hokage shook her head in response, "Well, it doesn't matter now. Keep going."

"Well, like I said I went to her apartment to ask her about everything. I mean…even if I did heard it from you I still wanted to make sure it was true. I…I needed to hear it from her…so I went."

Both Tsunade and Shizune noticed how Naruto's expression began to change as he spoke. Ever since the incident with Sakura began, his cheerful self had begun to disappear. It was painful for anyone that knew him well, to see such the lively and vivid boy so gloomy and sad.

"What did she tell you?" Shizune inquired.

"Well…she didn't deny her killing those ninjas. But what really pained me was to see how she justified herself."

He clenched a fist as he narrowed his eyes.

"You wanna know what she told me? She said that it was part of her mission to kill them. That she had to do it or else she died. She even asked me why I was so affected by it, after all we are shinobis and killing as what we do."

Gaped, Shizune commented, "Did she really say that?"

Naruto reluctantly nodded.

Tsunade closed her eyes as they took a painful expression on them.

"There's something else…" Naruto added. "Something that can give us a clue as to why Sakura-chan is like this."

"What is it?" Tsunade asked.

"She told me later on that she couldn't trust me because…because she had been betrayed by the people she trusted the most."

"What did you say?" The Godaime's eyes widened as she stared at Naruto gaped in shock to the revelation. "Are you positive about this Naruto?"

He nodded in response.

"Did she tell you who they were?"

"No." Naruto's gaze was lowered as his blonde bangs covered his eyes. "I...I tried to make her tell me but...but she refused. She won't tell me anything...she...she doesn't trust me anymore..."

The cries caught in his throat caused his voice to break; he tried to suppress them but, there were so many that it overpowered him.

"I don't know what to do anymore..." Tears followed his voice.

Shizune and Tsunade watched with eyes of pain as Naruto succumbed to the tears and cries he was trying to suppress with all his might. Despite their desire to give him comfort, both of them knew well that they couldn't do anything because there wasn't anything that could comfort Naruto's broken heart.

Shizune placed her hand on the boy's head while Tsunade embraced him. After all, it was the only thing they could do. Naruto clutched the fabric of Tsunade's green jacket; clinging onto it as he cried in her arms letting out all the pain and sorrow that had been accumulated this past three months.

"Tsunade baa-chan...you...you have to help Sakura-chan." He sobbed as he looked up with his still tear-filled cerulean eyes. "You have to...if...if you don't then...then Sakura-chan will break. She'll break...she'll..."

"It's alright Naruto." The Hokage held him tighter. "It's ok. I'll help her. I promise that I will do everything in my power to help Sakura. So don't worry because everything will be alright. We'll save her; I swear it."

* * *

Meanwhile, Neji and Hinata were expressing their own worries regarding Sakua's issue. These past three months they have noticed how distant and estranged Sakura has turned and not only that but also how she has turned into an expressionless person. She no longer showed emotions; no longer laughed, smiled or grinned...nothing. It was as if she had turned into some kind of doll.

The Hyuuga cousins were sitting in the porch of Hinata's room. The porch had a view of Hinata's backyard garden. There were many types of beautiful flowers and plants that decorated the surroundings and in the middle there was a small bamboo fountain. Hinata sat in front of Neji between his legs as Neji had his arms around her.

"Neji nii-san, I'm worried about Sakura-chan. If she keeps locking herself up and suppressing her emotion, she will eventually lose control. She won't be able to keep them inside anymore. And...who knows what effects that could bring..."

"Yes. The effects will indeed be grave. Sakura-san is like a glass tank. The water that's building up are all the feelings she's trying to suppress however, her emotions are so great and so is the pain she's hiding that it's pressuring the glass of the tank. Eventually, the glass will crack and the tank will break. Sakura-san will break and it's possible she will have a serious mental breakdown. Perhaps, even fall into a coma state because of the shock."

As she listened to Neji's analogy her eyes looked away sadly. Neji noticed it and embraced her placing his face on her neck.

"I'm sure we can still save Sakura-san, Hinata-sama. I'll make sure we do. You know I hate seeing you with that sad look."

A fade grin painted on Hinata's face. Then, she felt as Neji's face snuggled on her neck as he kissed her cheek; Hinata's face reddened at contact.

"You always get so red Hinata-sama. But that only makes you cuter." The boy replied with a flirtratious grin.

Madly blushing, Hinata looked away, "Oh, stop it Neji nii-san..."

"Why? After all, you will one day be my bride." With that said, Neji began to softly kiss her face. He cupped her chin and turned her head to face him. He watched as her pearl eyes shinned and her face still had that rosy color from her blushing.

Then, he gently pulled her towards him until their lips met.

* * *

After Naruto talked with Tsunade, she dismissed him to his apartment as he clearly needed some rest and time alone but not without the certainty that she will do something to help Sakura.

"Tsunade-sama, what do you plan to do?" Shizune asked.

"The fact that Sakura unconsciously revealed to Naruto the reason why she won't trust us anymore makes it clear that she is slowly losing her ability to suppress her emotions. We need to take this opportunity and make this at our advantage."

"What do you propose then Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade intertwined her fingers, "I-" But she was interrupted when Anko suddenly barged in.

"Hokage-sama!"

"What is it Anko?" Tsunade replied with a rather annoyed tone.

"It's Kabuto!! We just received a report that he plans to ally himself with the Stone village!!"

Tsunade's bronze eyes widened, "What? Bring me Ibiki now."

"Yes." Anko swiftly departed.

As soon as Tsunade heard the closing sound of the door, she punched the table.

"Dammit!!" she growled frustrated. "What the hell are you planning Kabuto?!"

"This is bad Tsunade-sama! If we allow this alliance to occur then who knows what will happen to us?! We can't afford to have another war!" Shizune cried desperately.

"Dammit I already know that Shizune!!" Tsunade snapped back making Shizune flinch. "Wait...could it be? But...why? To carry out Orochimaru's will?"

"You summoned me Hokage-sama?" Ibiki said through the door.

"Yes come in."

Once Ibiki stood in front of Tsunade's desk she asked, "Do you have any information regarding Kabuto's purposes?"

Ibiki shook his head, "Unfortunately we don't."

"Damn..." The blonde woman bit her thumb. "First he allies himself with small villages and now he decides to ally himself with Stone? It's possible he could want to create war with us but what I don't understand is his reason for doing all of this."

"Hokage-sama, may I point out that a few years ago Orochimaru attempted to destroy Konoha once. It's possible that Kabuto wishes to carry out Orochimaru's first will."

"Yes but remember Morino-san that although he had tried to do it his primary goal was simply to obtain Uchiha Sasuke's body. Destroying Konoha was his second wish. But when he failed he gave up on it and simply focused on Sasuke."

"In that case I don't have any other speculations. But we can be 100 certain that what Kabuto wants is war with Konoha. There's no other explanation to this. Also, we also heard that in order to seal the alliance, Kabuto will give the Stone Kage a scroll. Its contents are unknown but it's obvious they could prove dangerous."

"Yes...thank you Morino-san. You are dismissed."

Ibiki bowed and left the office.

"Shizune, call Kakashi. I know how we can kill two birds with one stone."

* * *

It didn't take long for Kakashi to arrive. "What is it Hokage-sama?"

"We just received a report of the most alarming nature: Kabuto will ally himself with Stone."

"What?!" Kakashi cried in shock.

"As you hear it. We don't know his reason but what we do know is that this is a declaration of war against us."

"How will we proceed to handle this situation?" The Copy-nin asked.

"The only way we can: by stopping it. Ibiki told us that in order for the alliance to take place, Kabuto will give the Stone Kage a scroll."

"So my mission is to take that scroll?"

"Correct. But you won't be alone. I will send Sakura with you."

The ring of the name caused a sudden twitch in Kakashi's body as he began to understand Tsunade's intention.

"Naruto came a while ago from visiting Sakura. He was completely devastated. Honestly, I've never seen him that way before. He told us something Sakura said to him, or should I say something that Sakura revealed to him."

"What was it?" Kakashi inquired.

"At a moment, Sakura snapped at Naruto and unconsciously told him that she couldn't trust him anymore because she had been betrayed by the people she trusted them most."

The second Tsunade said that, the face of two people flashed through Kakashi's mind: Lilly and Sasuke. But the latter caused him to feel a sudden ache in his chest.

"Kakashi...Sakura's starting to break and we have to try and reach her before it's too late."

After their talk, Tsunade asked Shizune to call Sakura to inform her of her new mission. Kakashi had already left when Sakura arrived.

"What's my mission?"

"You are to detain a group of Sound nins that will carry a scroll and bring that scroll to us. We received a report saying that Kabuto will ally himself with the Stone village and from the looks of it, this means war."

"This doesn't really make any sense. Why would Kabuto do this?" Sakura asked puzzled.

"I don't know and I don't intend to wait until we find out. You are to stop this by any means possible." The Godaime's bronze eyes were fixed in Sakura's plain emerald ones.

"I will get that scroll." Sakura responded solemnly.

"One more thing Sakura. You have been taking all A rank missions this past three months and you have proven yourself efficient in accomplishing them. I will use this mission as a test and if you accomplish it successfully, you will automatically join ANBU."

Sakura had to contain the desire she had to smile the moment she heard those words she had been waiting to hear.

"Thank you Tsunade-sama. I swear I will not fail this mission."

However, while Sakura was glad of the news, Tsunade on the other hand was rather disappointed and upset. She had never thought of the day she will have Sakura join ANBU let alone hear herself say what she just told her.

"You will leave in an hour so go get ready."

"Yes." Sakura bowed but before leaving, Tsunade stopped her.

"Sakura..."

She turned.

"Your partner will be Kakashi."

As a reflex, the kunoichi's emerald eyes widened.

* * *

_Damn!!! I didn't think this would happen!_

Sakura slammed one of her pink pillows to the floor.

"I've worked so hard to become distant and the main reason I managed to do it was because my teammates were people I wasn't very acquainted with. But now with Kakashi-sensei..."

Following her soft growl, she let out an exasperated groan as she threw herself backwards to the bed.

"If I snapped with Naruto...just imagine what I'll do with Kakashi-sensei..."

**In that case you need to be stronger than ever.**

_But it's Kakashi-sensei...when it comes to Naruto and Kakashi-sensei I'm my weakest._

**Think of this as your test Sakura. If you pass this test you will be in ANBU. You just have to cope being with Kakashi for a while.**

"That's the problem..."

Standing up, Sakura headed towards the balcony of her apartment; she rested her arms on the bar. A sudden wind blew on in her direction making her short hair flow forward. Before the wind would soothe her; making her feel at peace but not anymore. Now, the wind was just another element from nature. She had not only become estranged to the people around her, but also the nature around her.

"I know what Tsunade's intentions are. She plans on having Kakashi talk me into revealing everything." She narrowed her eyes. "But that's not going to happen. Just wait and see. Two can play this game; everything you try will be futile."

At the hour, Kakashi and Sakura met at the village's gate and were sent off by Kotetsu and Izumo.

"What's you plan Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi stared at her for a few seconds before answering though he wasn't sure why he had done so. Perhaps to analyze the way she talked to him and from the looks of it, it still had a icy and distant tone.

"Very simple. We search for the Sound ninjas that will head to Stone and stop them at their tracks. If it proves to be more than we can handle then we will retreat."

"Understood." With that simple answer, Sakura turned and began to walk.

However, Kakashi merely watched the back of his former student with a saddened eye. Even the way she walked was different. Before, she had that cheerful aura all around her; her poise was graceful and vivid, just like the vivacious girl she was. Her glossy long hair would follow behind her like the flow of a river. But now, everything was different. The cheerful aura she once had was replaced by one of distance; her poise was stiff and indifferent and her hair was now short and opaque.

_Sakura..._

* * *

Two figures rushed through the forest as they leaped from tree branch to tree branch.

"How much longer till we get there?" One of them asked.

"Not long. But remember that we are to return to Sound as soon as we give them the scroll." The second figure answered.

"Yea. Kabuto-sama will be expecting us tomorrow at noon the latest. If we aren't there at that time, I don't wanna think of what he might do to us. If you ask me, I don't know who was worse Kabuto or Orochimaru."

"Watch your words. Even the trees have ears."

Meanwhile, Sakura and Kakashi went their way towards Stone. As Sakura was ahead of Kakashi, Kakashi's mind was elsewhere.

_Sakura…you have truly changed. You're no longer the gentle girl I used to know. What caused you to change like this? Who was it? Who betrayed you? Was it…was it Sasuke?_

_There must be a way I can reach her...but how? How can you reach someone who has shunned herself from everyone and everything?_

"Kakashi-sensei? May I suggest you keep up to my pace? It feels uncomfortable having you so far behind from me. Something could happen and it'd be better if we were close." Sakura commented with a monotonous tone.

"Ah-yes. Of course" Was Kakashi's reply.

_I need to find a way to approach her. There has to be a way._

The afternoon had already passed as Sakura and Kakashi continued their mission. They hadn't stopped for any means; both were fully aware that the Sound ninjas were not going to rest. So they ate a soldier's pill to keep them in active and awake.

"Are we close Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura inquired.

"We're close to Stone. Let's hope that we cross paths with the Sound ninjas."

The rosette kunoichi nodded, "Right."

**What will you do this time Sakura?**

_This time...nothing._

**What? What do you mean nothing?!**

_You heard me. Kakashi-sensei is with me, I can't just kill them. He'll be all over me and he won't separate himself from me. You know how he is. So just for this mission, I'll lay off. I'll kill them if I have to._

**Sakura but-**

_No buts! I've already decided and I won't let you take over my body either! If you do it, I swear I'll never forgive you and I'll make sure everything we've worked for goes down the drain, understood?!_

**Fine. Just don't do anything you'll regret later.**

Suddenly, Sakura felt Kakashi's hand press against her making her stop.

"What is it?"

"I have an idea that might work. But we need to hurry up our pace. Take another soldier's pill."

"What's your plan?" Sakura asked.

"We'll discuss it on our way but we need to hurry."

* * *

**A/N:** I intended this chap to be one but since I was alreadya t page 25 I decided to cut it into 2 parts. In any case, I hope you liked it. The tension is starting to build up a bit and it'll only keep building as this next chaps will go. Read & Review please. Thank you!

A note just for laughs: I just discovered that there's a line that helps me separate paragraphs so I don't have to make them anymore. LOL


	15. Chapter 15: The Broken Glass Part II

**A/N:** w00t! Part 2 is here!! I hope you all enjoyed Part 1. Well, this is were the climax of the story begins.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 15:** The Broken Glass Part II

As the Sound ninjas ran, they were stopped by a couple of shinobis that stood in from of them. One was a man with short dark hair, and the second one had dark hair in a pony tail and smaller in height.

"Who are you?" One of the Sound-nins said.

"We are mediators from the Stone village. Are you two the Sound ninjas who have been assigned with the alliance?" the short haired Stone nin said.

"Yes we are. We have the scroll with us." The second Sound nin said.

"Then I suppose you won't mind if you showed it to us? Our village is very precautions with other nations. We've been sent to make sure that you two are indeed the Sound ninjas the Otokage send because if you aren't then we'll have to eliminate you. And we'd rather do it away from our village." The pony tailed Stone nin commented.

"Ah I see, very clever." The first Sound nin replied raising an eye brow. "Kouta, show him the scroll."

Kouta did as he was told and showed the two Stone ninjas the scroll. It was closed with had a bomb seal around it. The short haired Stone nin walked towards Kouta and observed the scroll.

"Very well." He raised an arm and suddenly, the pony tailed ninja disappeared and reappeared with his kunai in the first Sound nin's throat.

"Shin!" Kouta cried. "You two aren't mediators, are you?"

The short haired ninja chuckled, "Very good." Doing a hand sign, smoke appeared revealing his true form.

"Good job Sakura." Kakashi said.

Sakura also did the same but quickly and she returned to her original form.

"Leaf ninjas, huh? We should've known." Shin said. "Kouta put the scroll away."

"Already ahead of you. So what are you gonna do? Fight me for the scroll or kill me" Kouta said to Kakashi with a challenging tone.

"Hm. I guess both will do." Kakashi replied with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Sakura still had Shin between her and her kunai. Shin grunted while a sweat rolled down as he knew that the wrong move could be the end of him. However, he wasn't going to die that easily.

"You think a girl like you can kill me?"

Sakura smirked at the question, "Care to test me?"

Suddenly, Sakura felt a sudden pain in her left leg though she didn't understand what had happened. All she felt was a pain in her muscles. Letting out a grunt of pain, Sakura pulled away the kunai as a reflex allowing Shin to be set free.

_Damn!_

Looking up, she saw Shin charge a punch towards her. It was too late to dodge it so luckily, she was able to move her cheek farther back making the impact of the punch less powerful.

Sliding back, the rosette kunoichi wiped out with the back of her hand the blood from the side of her lip.

_What the hell was that? He didn't kick me, and I didn't see him use any kind of hand sign let alone see him punch me._

"What's the matter kunoichi? What happened to all the big talk?" Shin asked cockily.

"Do not underestimate me." Sakura narrowed her emerald eyes. "If you do, it will mean your death."

Shin scoffed, "Oh, I will like to see you try."

* * *

Light sparked when the metal of the kunais came in contact with each other; each time making an even louder clanging sound.

Kakashi charged at his enemy with his kunai held firmly. Kouta defended himself by stopping Kakashi's kunai at impact with his own. Both ninjas entered in a battle for domination, each waiting for an opening to strike.

However, Kakashi wasn't going to stick around and play tug-o-war all day long. On purpose, he decreased his strength allowing Kouta to take the lead as he move forward with his kunai prepared to stab him.

But Kakashi managed to grab Kouta's writs and twisted it, making Kouta grunt in pain thus his kunai dropped. Taking advantage of that small lapse of time, the Copy-nin clenched his fist and prepared to punch Kouta in the abdomen.

Right before impact, a smirk painted on Kouta's apparent pained face. Kakashi's punch connected with Kouta's abdomen as desired, however the Sound-nin's face seemed unaffected.

The Copy-nin's onyx eye widened bewildered.

_What?_

But before he could think of anything, he suddenly felt a pain in his cheekbone as Kouta landed a solid punch sending him flying.

_What the hell just happened? I know I landed a solid punch in his abdomen. How could he have not even flinched?_

Kakashi managed to do a flip and fall on his knees before his body landed on the ground.

Suddenly, he saw a blurry image heading straight towards him. As reflex he tried to dodge it but he had noticed it too late as it stabbed him in the chest.

Letting out a grunt of pain, Kakashi looked at his injury with eyes of surprise and confused. The wound in his vest was merely just a hole with the blood flowing down. He could still feel the object that penetrated him but he couldn't see it. It was as if he was invisible.

_What the hell is going on?!_

"What's the matter? Caught you off guard?" Kouta said with an arrogant tone and a smirk to compliment it.

"I know you're wondering what happened so I'll tell you. Before your punch landed on me, I used my free hand and concentrated my chakra there so I could release it and modify the air particles so that they could create a cushion. Basically, all I did was absorb the impact. And now…I stabbed you with a kunai. All I did was use my chakra again and arranged the air particles until I created an abstract object. I was aiming for your heart, but lucky for you, you managed to dodge it in time." A dark grin appeared on the Sound nin's face. "Don't worry though I won't make the same mistake again."

Kakashi pulled out the kunai out from his chest with a soft grunt of pain accompanying it.

"In that case, it appears I need to take some drastic measure of my own." With that he lifted his headband and opened his left eye revealing a red pupil.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura and Shin were caught in a battle of their own as well. Shin punched Sakura but she blocked it with her arms and was about to kick him. However, Shin used his leg to cancel the kick. They both went on like that; exchanging blows and blocking them.

Shin crutched on the floor and quickly spinned one of his legs in the ground to trip Sakura. But she anticipated it and jumped in time, avoiding it. As soon as Sakura jumped, Shin changed his position by doing a flip. Still in the air and with no way of dodging the fast combo of her enemy, Sakura took the kick in the jaw that Shin managed to land on her.

Nevertheless, Sakura didn't allow the kick to harm her as she concentrated some of her chakra in her jaw to act as a cushion thus absorbing the impact of the kick. This allowed her to no flinch and taking advantage of that, Sakura grabbed Shin's leg.

"What the fuck?!" Was Shin's surprised reaction to Sakura's maneuver as she swung his leg in a circle with all her strength and threw him, making him hit a tree with his back that caused him to cough a mouthful of blood.

The rosette kunoichi charged at her opponent to avoid any second that could aid him to recuperate. Once Sakura was nearing, a smirk painted on Shin's face. But Sakura didn't have time to react to the bewildering reaction, as she suddenly felt an immense pressure press against her. And what was worse, a high screeching sound accompanied it.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!" Sakura screamed as she covered her ears with her hands. The excruciating pain the screeching sound caused in her ears was so horrible that it felt as if her ears were bleeding; about to explode. Her head began to have a sensation as if she was being hammered and her teeth felt like they were going to crack. She heard the sound began to dissipate however the sensation was still present in her head.

"How do you like my special jutsu?" Shin asked the groveling girl on the floor. "It feels like your head will explode all together, doesn't it? That's the beauty of it. All I did was clap my hands. Remember the beginning of our fight when you had me with a kunai? You let me go once you felt something in your leg, right?"

Sakura looked at him with one eye barely opened, her hands still covering her ears but she could hear him. She remembered that moment; she had suddenly felt in her leg as if someone had kicked it hard. Her muscle had hurt and even her bone had gotten a bit sore.

"So...you...you used the same jutsu...back then?" She asked hoarsely.

"Yes but in a much lower degree. All I did was snap my fingers. I just concentrate my chakra either on my fingertips or my hands and then by snapping or clapping I let it out as a huge sound wave. "

"Well then, we'll just see about that."

"I can control the distance of my attack. It can easily go to a 10 mile radius. Impossible for you to avoid."

Shin prepared to clap once more but before he could do it, Sakura punched the ground. The ground leveled and the dirt rose blinding Shin's sight.

"Damn!" Shin cursed. He clapped, making the sound waves disperse the dirt away. Once the battlefield has been cleared he noticed a hole in the ground where Sakura had landed her punch.

He smirked, "Heh. So you're underground, eh? Don't underestimate my ability. You want to catch me off guard, don't you? Well it won't work. I'm gonna get you out of there myself."

Walking towards the hole her clapped and aimed the sound waves to go into the hole. The whole ground leveled from the inside as the waves made their way inside.

_Because she's underground, the sound waves are captured. Outside, the pain is excruciating but not enough to kill because it is out in the open and the sound travels away. But underground, it has no way to go. Instead, it will bounce with each other and resonance; you'll be as good as dead._

"Well then, I might as well help Kouta with that other ninja." But suddenly, he felt a pain coming from his left arm.

"GAH!" He screamed in pain. Looking at his arm, he saw three kunais deeply plunged in his arm. "What the fuck just happened?!"

"Easy. You're too simple-minded in battle." A voice said from behind a tree.

Shin turned as he saw the figure that came from behind the tree; it was Sakura.

"What?! You mean that the hole was just a trap?!" Kouta cried frustrated.

"Exactly. I knew that if I made a hole in the ground you'd assume I used it to hide underground and then come from above and to avoid it, you would use your sound wave to get me out. But all I did was hid behind the tree and await the moment you let your guard down. Those three kunais..." She pointed at them. "I used charka to make them stronger. They've penetrated all the way to your bone; your muscle and tendons have been severed. You will never be able to use that arm again."

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Kouta growled, "I don't give a damn about my arm! I can kill you with you one!"

* * *

Kakahi dodged to the right; he dodged to the left with a flip backwards. He dodged to left again but this time, his upper arm was scrapped. As soon as he landed he saw another wave of invisible kunais was heading straight towards him. With flips and jumps, he tried to avoid them. However, one scrapped his cheek, while another stabbed him in the leg and one in the chest.

_Damn! I'm only able to barely dodge them because the concentrated chakra in the kunai allows it to be a little visible. If not, I'd be dead by now._

"I wonder how long you can keep this. It's obvious that you're only alive because you can almost see them. But that's only because I'm attacking from afar. If I'd do close combat with you, you won't have the time for your eye to adjust to see the kunai. In fact, let's do it. I'd like to see how long you can last this time." Shin did a series of unknown hand signs; he extended his arm forward. The way he had his hand it appeared like he had a gotten a grip of something but it couldn't be seen.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, trying to make out what Shin had created.

_From the looks of it, it's a sword. This doesn't look good._

But before Kakashi had time to prepare himself to counterattack, Shin was already charging at him with his sword firmly held in his right hand; ready to kill him.

The Copy-nin tried to dodge each blow Shin attempted to inflict on him with his sword. He dodged sideways to avoid the damage in his abdomen; he jumped to avoid getting hit in the legs. But Shin took advantage while Kakashi was still in the air rotated his body to swing his sword and hit Kakashi on the side.

Barely able to see it and let alone dodge it, the silver-haired man rotated his body contrary to Shin's sword and managed to avoid a fatal blow. Nevertheless, he was still wounded as his enemy's sword slashed his thigh.

Kakashi fell on his knee, grunting, holding it; trying to endure the pain.

"You have good reflexes. A normal ninja wouldn't have been able to have dodged that blow. It was meant to be fatal, you know?" Shin commented cockily.

Kakashi's breathing became heavy; blood began to flow down his thigh.

During a second interval of time between Sakura's fight with Kouta, she looked at Kakashi to check how he was doing. But when she saw the wound he had, her emerald eyes widened in worry.

_Kakashi-sensei! _

Though she couldn't understand where that wound had come from, considering the fact that she saw Kouta holding no weapon of the sort she saw the wound was quite deep and it was already giving Kakashi trouble.

_I need to hurry up and defeat this nuisance so I can help Kakashi-sensei. _

**Sakura...careful with your thoughts.**

_Shut up. He's my comrade and I won't let him die. Now leave me alone, I need to concentrate._

**Hmph. I don't know if I should be proud bitchy strength you've acquired or not. Don't forget who I am.**

Kakashi tore part of his sleeve and used it as a bandage to stop the bleeding. He stood up with a soft grunt.

"I doubt you'll have the same speed now."

"Heh, I won't need to force myself as much. I tried to not use it but you have proved to be more than I could handle normally." Kakashi replied.

Kakashi did a series of hand signs which left Shin completely shocked and gape. "Wha-what?! How did you-?! Impossible! There's not way you could've learned my jutsu?!"

"I can see you've never heard of the sharingan before. It's a Kekkei Genkai that allows me to copy any jutsu I see except Kekkei Genkais. I had already copied your first jutsu, when you created your kunais. But since you used a second jutsu to create your sword I speculated that there will be a slight difference in the hand signs so I copied it as well. You shouldn't underestimate your opponent nor overestimate your abilities. They could be used against you."

Growling in anger, Shin glared at his enemy, "Don't get cocky just because you used some cheap bloodline to copy my technique! I will still defeat you! You have not yet seen all I can do."

The two opposing ninjas began a series of attacks; each used his sword to cancel the others. Kakashi rotated his body to swing his sword, but Shin did the same in the opposite direction and canceled Kakashi's attack. Shin then, swung his sword upward but Kakashi dodged it by doing a flip backwards. But when his knee touched the ground, a shock of pain crawled up his body.

He grunted, _Damn._

"So I see you've barely been able to fight. Still, you've put up a good fight but I need to end this now." Shin let go of his sword. "I don't need hand signs for this and you can't see it either. So you won't be able to copy it."

I can see his sword is underground but the question is, where will it come out? Kakashi looked around him, awaiting the attack.

With a dark smirk, Shin pointed his first two fingers up. Kakashi noticed the ground under him leveled and his quickly jumped as he saw the blurry figure of a kunai arise from the ground. But suddenly, he saw other objects surface from the ground as well.

His eye widened as he realized the situation he was in. While in the air, he moved his body sideways and dodged a kunai that had been coming behind him. However, he had no time to relax as another kunai was heading from the side. Using his own kunai, he canceled the attack. But after that, he failed to avoid three kunais that were heading towards him. One stabbed him in the arm while two stabbed him in the chest.

"I told you haven't seen all I can do. You've been losing a lot of blood in our battle. I doubt you can go on any further so just stay there and die." With that said Shin, turned and left the weak Kakashi on the ground.

_He-he's right...I've been losing blood. I can already feel my body getting weak. I hadn't expected them to be this powerful. The problem isn't their fighting style but the techniques they use. _

He saw as Shin walked towards Sakura and Kouta.

_No...if he gets there and helps the other, Sakura won't stand a chance. I...I have to do something..._

Shin arrived to where Sakura and Kouta where fighting. He sent a kunai flying straight at Sakura which got plunged in her left arm. Sakura let out a cry of pain as she felt the sharp invisible object go through her skin and touch her muscle.

Taking advantage of this, Shin punched Sakura right in her cheekbone and sent her sliding through the ground.

With struggling grunts, the rosette kunoichi tried to get at least to her knees. But both her left arm and her left cheekbone hurt.

_He caught me off-guard…I feel…disorientated…_

Aware of Sakura's momentary vulnerability, Kouta walked towards her. With one eye opened and the other half-opened due to her bruise, Sakura looked at the smirk Kouta had painted on his face. Before she knew what had happened, that excruciating screech resonated in her ears.

Although the only thing Kouta had done was snap his fingers, he had concentrated enough of his chakra to create the screech powerful enough to hurt her. Once again, Sakura was on the floor using her only free hand to cover her ear and hold her head which once more felt like it was going to burst.

Suddenly, Sakura felt her body elevate from the ground and then land on it sideways with a loud thump. But she had landed on top of her arm that still had the invisible kunias plunged. The fall only made them penetrate her muscle even more.

She let our a huge scream of pain right at the second her body landed on the ground and along with that scream tears of pain welled in her eyes.

Kakashi could only just watch in horror as the cycle of physical and mental torture would repeat itself. Kouta would snap his fingers and while Sakura tried to endure the screech, Shin would attack her and beat her up. In the end, Sakura was just a lifeless lump in the ground, full of bruises and cuts; completely worn out both physically and mentally.

_No...Sakura..._

_Why...why am I so useless? I'm always trying my best to protect her and be there for her... but why is it that at times like this I'm the most useless? I...I have to do something but...I've lost so much blood I can barely move..._

_Sakura..._

Kouta grabbed Sakura by the hair and pulled her to her knees.

"You've given us some trouble bitch. And now, you'll die. This is what you get for getting in our way and destroying my arm. Now die you whore!"

Kakashi saw Shin made that hand-sign and he quickly knew what he was going to do.

_No! He's...he's going to kill her! I-I have to do something. Sakura can't die...she can't...I...I won't let her die._

Shin looked at the lifeless doll in front of him. She showed no signs of emotion; not sadness nor fear. Her eyes were completely empty and weary. As if the life had been sucked out of them; as if she was tired of living.

_So...this is how I'm going to die? Not really the way I had wanted. But...if this is how it's gonna be then...let it come. _

**Sakura! Do something or else you'll be killed!**

_What does it matter now? I have no strength left._

**Don't give me that crap!! **

_I almost reached ANBU but I guess my time has come._

**Stop the bullshit! We've worked hard to reach this point! Don't throw everything you've done down the drain!**

_I'll be honest with you...I never wanted to become ANBU. Even now, I don't. But...it was the only escape I had. Perhaps...I was never meant to...I just hope that Kakashi, Naruto, Tsunade-sama and the other miss me...at least...only a little..._

She closed her eyes and peacefully awaited her slaughter. It was strange. She felt calm. Just when she was about to be killed...she felt no fear of dying. But perhaps the reason why she wasn't afraid was because she had nothing to lose.

_People fear death because it means that they will be leaving the world. They would no longer exist physically and they will no longer be beside the people they love; they will make those who love them lonely and leave a big empty hole in their hearts._

_However..._

_...that's not my case._

_I have nothing to lose. I have severed all ties I had with the people I loved. I'm alone now. If any...all I feel is just emptiness in me. I would've never thought that...feeling emptiness would really be so...empty and...solitary...Now that I think back...everything I did was just to escape but in truth...I just felt empty..._

_Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-sama...everyone...even if we no longer share the bonds we used to share...I hope that at least...you would miss me...if only a little..._

_...that's all I wish..._

She awaited her death but strangely enough, she felt nothing. She felt no pain; not the tearing feeling of he flesh being cut through nor the sensation of the warm blood flowing out of her body making it colder by the second.

She opened her eyes; as soon as she made up the figure in front of her, her emerald eyes widened as she gasped.

_Kakashi-sensei!_

"What the hell?!" Shin cried.

"Dammit." Kouta cursed.

Kakashi turned his head towards Sakura, blood splattered on his face.

"Sakura...I'm sorry..." He said with a hoarse voice. "I couldn't protect you before...But...I'm happy I could do this much for you. You...you can't die Sakura...you can't...you must..."

But before he could finish, he collapsed flat on the ground, and a pool of blood appeared under him.

"No..." Sakura gasped in horror as she watched her comrade fall in front of her.

"Shin! Hurry up and kill her!" Kouta demanded.

"Hold on dammit! I've used a lot of chakra already! It's gonna take sometime to concentrate it!"

"Kakashi-sensei…"

She kept calling him, over and over again but he wouldn't move. He wouldn't respond to her voice…to her calls. He always did and now that he didn't…she felt like her heart began to sink.

"No…no…don't die…no…" Tears she thought she wasn't going to shed started to roll down her face; probably not because she couldn't suppress them, but because they just fell automatically.

Kouta felt how her body began to tremble, "Heh, scared now? Well take a good look at your friend. Because that's the same thing that will happen to you! Do it now Shin!"

Shin was just about to charge at Sakura, when suddenly, Kouta felt someone clutched his arm.

"What?!" He saw Sakura grasp his arm with all her might. So much that he even felt his wrist bone begin to crack.

"I'm not going to die." The kunoichi said with a firm and angry tone. Using chakra from where she didn't know she still had, she lifted Kouta and threw him over herself.

"Fuck!!" Was Shin's reaction as just when he was about to cut Sakura, Kouta landed in front of him. Kouta received the death blow as he felt his body being slashed through diagonally by Shin's invisible blade.

Shin watched with shocked eyes as he saw his comrade lying dead in front of him; his blood mixing with Kakashi's.

"I'll kill you you fuckin' bitch!!!" But just when he was going to attack Sakura, she quickly appeared in front of him and punched him right in the abdomen. Sakura's counterattack had been so fast that Shin didn't have time to protect himself.

The Sound-nin held his abdomen as he coughed up blood.

"How…can…you possibly…still have the much chakra…?" He asked hoarsely with blood dripping down his lip. "Doesn't matter…I won't let you hit me a second time. I can't stand up, but I don't need to move to protect myself."

"Who said I planned on hitting you? I'm a medic-nin. I have ways to kill you without breaking a sweat." Sakura dryly replied. She raised two of her fingers. "All I need is these two fingers."

Bewildered, Shin watched as the rosette ninja walked towards him, she swung her hand before touching Shin's neck. Although he felt no pain, a few seconds later, Shin felt as if his body was draining.

"Wha…what the hell did…you…do…?!" He gasped, holding his neck; he felt no blood. However, he felt the sensation that he was. His body began to feel numb, cold, as if the blood was being sucked out of him.

"Simple. I just busted your vein. Now…you'll bleed to death from the inside. You'll feel the same pain and horrid feeling that Kakashi-sensei felt."

Shin watched as he was being looked down upon. Her eyes were dark, cold. No emotion came from them. It was as if a sadistic beast was watching him, waiting until he breathed his very last breath. It reminded him of Kabuto.

The figure became blurry. Everything started to become black until he could see no more.

The moment Shin died, Sakura quickly turned to Kakashi who was still lying down on his face in the ground. She softly turned him over; his body was heavy and cold.

The cut that he inflicted on him is deeper than expected. He has lost so much blood but I have to save him!

"Hang on Kakashi-sensei! I'll save you!" She put her hands in front of her; though her arm still ached of pain because of the kunais she ignored it and concentrated her chakra. "I just have to stop the bleeding, heal his wound as much as I can and close it."

As her hands shined with the blue glow of her chakra she looked at Kakashi; hoping to see some sort of sign that he was going to be saved. As she watched his in inanimate state, she began to feel anxious.

"Come on Kakashi-sensei…please…don't…don't die on me…" Sakura pleaded.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind. A memory she could never forget no matter how much time passed. The way Kakashi-sensei's body was pierced, reminded her of the dreadful day her parents were brought to the hospital.

How could she ever forget that image? Seeing her parents' mutilated body? Seeing all that blood covering them, so much that they were barley unrecognizable?

Her heart beat began to speed-up, sweat dripping from her forehead; her breathing became heavy and her hands began to tremble.

"No…no…Kakashi-sensei…no! Please you can't die!!! You can't!!!"

_I don't want this again! I don't want to go through with that again! Kakashi-sensei…you can't die on me!_

Tear drops fell on her hands as other streamed down her face interminably.

**What the hell is your problem?! Stop acting like you care!**

_That's because I do care! Even if I'm afraid of trusting him, even if I severed my friendship with him…I still care!_

**Then don't! You're being weak! I could care less if you save him or not, but don't show your emotions! If by any chance he can hear you, he'll know. And then, he'll take advantage of that.**

_Shut up! I don't care about anything anymore! What I want is to save him! I have to save him! I couldn't save my parents back then…I won't let someone else die in front of me again!_

"Don't die!!!" She wailed.

Along her tears, another liquid source accompanied her as rain began to pour over them.

* * *

**Kakashi's P.O.V**

After I passed out, I don't remember anything. What I do remember was how my body felt colder and colder by the second. Because of all the blood I had been losing, my body felt numb and cold; the rain only made it worse. In fact, I felt like I had lost the sensation of my hands.

That is, until I felt a steady and sudden warmth. I was so tired and weak I couldn't even open my eyes at least to know what was going on. But there wasn't really a need to as I heard a soft yet anxious voice begin to call at me. That's when I realized that it was Sakura and that the warmth I was starting to feel in my body was her chakra.

Later, I was able to make out the words she was saying. She sounded so desperate. Her voice broke in every sentence; I could tell she had cries trapped in her throat. I think this is the first time in a long time that I've heard her express any kind of emotion. Perhaps she thinks I'm not conscious but…that only explains that in truth…she's scared of being left alone.

The more I heard her cries call me, the more my heart sank. I felt such a pain in my chest that it was worse than the cut that Sound-nin gave me. In fact, that cut could never reach the level of pain hearing Sakura's cries caused me. At that moment, I wished I could just get up and hold her in my arms; comfort her; show her that I will never leave her; that I will never abandon her; that I will always be by her side if she needed a shoulder to lean on, an arm to hold, or a chest to cry on. What I wanted was to do everything I could to stop those tears; to cease those cries.

I just want to see her smile. That's all I ever wanted. Why must she always be the one to suffer? Why can't she be given an ever-lasting bliss? I've always been trying to keep that smile in her face; always. But I can never see to keep it long enough. Something always happens that makes her smile first turn into hurting grins and soon...

...they disappear.

Sakura...all I want is to save you. I want to get you out of this hell you have created. This darkness you have engulfed yourself into is slowing consuming you. Sakura...although you created this world of solitude in truth...you've never felt emptier, have you? I won't die Sakura. Just because you ask me to; just because I've come to realized that if I died...you'd only be sadder and you'll feel even more emptiness in you.

And I'll feel like I truly betrayed you by leaving you alone and abandoning you.

I promise I will _never_ leave you alone. I _will_ keep trying even harder to make you smile again. I _will_ bring the life back in your world. I _will_ bring the shine back in your emerald eyes.

I want to be by your side.

I want to heal your wounds.

Sakura...

...I love you.

* * *

**Sakura's P.O.V**

There was only one thing in my mind: save Kakashi-sensei. I couldn't think of anything else; nothing else mattered. Not even my resolution. I could hear my Inner Voice reprimanding me and yelling at me. But I couldn't hear her. It was as if I was deaf from her. All I heard were blurry incoherent sounds.

I kept trying to stop the blood but it was hard. It was like a waterfall of red liquid. I kept using all the chakra I had left not caring about what could happen to me. The only thing that mattered was to save Kakashi-sensei's life.

As I healed him, I kept observing him as well. What I could see of his face was so pale; it was as if the life had been sucked out of him. But what mortified me the most was his sleeping face. It was so peaceful as if nothing had happened…just like when my parents died.

They also had a peaceful face. I knew the pain and torture they must've undergone but their faces said otherwise. And knowing that was like a dagger in my heart. Seeing this same image with Kakashi-sensei only opened up a wound I had been trying to heal. But I never thought it'd hurt even more than before.

Although I was resolved to sever my ties with him, and to no longer feel any kind of emotion towards him. At this moment, I realized that in the end I could never do that. I could break my bond with him, but I couldn't stop caring. The more time passed, the more anxious I got. My hands began to sweat; I felt cold. The rain kept pouring down, washing away the blood in Kakashi-sensei's body and face.

My body began to feel numb; not because of the cold but probably because of my loss of chakra. I don't know where I had all this chakra left but I had it. I know I'll collapse when I'm done or maybe even die but if Kakashi-sensei is saved then nothing else matters. He saved me life…he…

…

…he has always been saving me.

You've always been there for me. Whenever I was alone or sad...you'd be there beside me to comfort me. You always knew what to say to me and always made me smile. No matter what had happened, when I was with you...you somehow always made me grin. I wish I could turn back time...so that I would've never have doubted you, so that this fear of being betrayed would've never compelled me.

But I can't...

The only thing I have now is just your presence. To me that would suffice. Just your presence is enough of a comfort for me. I don't know to where my new path will take me but, at least keep caring for me and watching over me. That way...I won't feel so lonely...

Kakashi-sensei…

...don't die on me…I…I don't know what I'll do without you…

…

Please…don't leave me alone…I beg of you…

…

Don't abandon me…please…

….

...I…

…I need you…

* * *

**A/N:** So, what you guys think? This sure is a different side of Sakura than what you've seen so far, ne? And I don't know about you, but I doubt Inner Sakura will be leaver Sakura and Kakashi alone after this. Now, the next chaps are the ones you all been eager to watch. (wink).

Read & Review please!


	16. Chapter 16: Truths and Doubts

**A/N: **Woohoo!! I'm so glad to have chap 16 up so soon!! It was about time...hehe. Well, this chap will be nice and long just the way you all like it. It's going to be very emotional and probably very surprising...(gasp) Read and see. (wink). I hope you all like it!!

Thank you for the wonderful reviews of the last two chaps!

* * *

**Chapter 16:** Truths and Doubts 

Fluttering his eyes opened, Kakashi finally woke up. He looked at his surroundings. Night had already caught up with them; the soil was moist. He felt an unknown heavy weight on top of him. It was Sakura who was sound asleep. Because of the rain that had fallen, both he and Sakura were soaking wet.

_Sakura…she must've overexerted herself. _

He looked at the wound in her arm; it was closed.

_From the looks of it, she used the last bit of chakra she had left to heal that wound but apparently she wasn't able to heal her other bruises._

_That Sakura…_

He placed his hand on her damp pink hair as he watched the sleeping beauty in front of him.

_I guess that even at this point in her life…she's still selfless. No matter how hard she tries not to be._

Then, he noticed that Sakura began to mumble something in her sleep. He leaned closer to her in order to make out what she was saying.

"Lilly…Ino…Sasuke…"

…

"…why?" A lone tear accompanied her words.

With a painful look in his eyes, as he was finally able to understand, Kakashi whipped the tear away with his finger.

_Strange…my nightmare vanished. My body hurts and feels so cold and yet…I feel something warm; a warm hand. Kakashi-sensei's warmth…_

_Kakashi-sensei…_

Straining her eyes before opening them, she looked at the shadowed figure in front of her. Indeed, it was Kakashi; just as she thought.

"Kakashi-sensei…" she lifted her head and sat down on top of her legs. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok. A bit weak but I'll manage."

"Before arriving here, we passed a small village. I'll carry you there and we'll rest before going to Konoha." Sakura struggled to get on her feet.

"No." Kakashi replied. "We'll rest here. You need it."

The kunoichi softly scoffed, "Don't be silly. I'm alright."

However, she suddenly felt her legs failed to support her and lost her balance. Fortunately, Kakashi managed to grab her just in time.

"See? You can barely walk. If you keep overexerting yourself, you could get worse."

The rosette girl gently pushed herself away from him and walked towards Kouta's corpse in order to retrieve the scroll.

"Fine, just a little rest. But we can't waste time; you need to be treated immediately."

"Though…I am glad to know that you worry so much for me that you'll out my well being before yourself."

"D-don't confuse it! I-I only saved you because if you died I'd feel guilty. I didn't want to carry that heavy weight on my shoulders."

"Well, if _you_ believe that, then I'm ok with it." Kakashi said with his usual smile on his face.

Sakura quickly looked away. That smile...one of the smiles that would cheer her day. It had been so long since she last saw it, that deep inside, in a small corner where she had hidden that memory, she felt her heart flutter, rejoiced.

After Sakura retrieved the scroll from Kouta's bag, she and Kakashi sat down on the ground and rested. None said anything, until Sakura finally dispersed the silence that had surrounded the atmosphere.

"Tell me something Kakashi-sensei. How come you haven't asked me anything yet? I'm sure that Tsunade-sama sent you in this mission with me to make me tell you about what had happened. Still, you haven't asked me once about anything. How come?"

"It's true that Tsunade sent me and to tell you the truth, I was trying to look for a way to begin reaching you. But after what happened today, I'm not going to keep trying because I learned that there's no need to." He looked at Sakura.

"What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled.

"I couldn't wake up nor move, but I was conscious. I heard you when you were trying to save me."

Sakura's emerald eyes widened shocked and stood up. "So you heard everything I said?!"

"I finally understand everything Sakura." He added keeping his calm demeanor.

"No! You don't understand! You can't possibly understand!" she cried.

"But I do. The reason you shunned yourself form everyone was because you're afraid of getting hurt and betrayed again. However, by doing that you felt empty, don't you? The only thing that helps you avoid complete solitude is having us by your side, one way or another. Although you can't trust us, just by seeing us is enough to defeat the loneliness. Am I lying Sakura?"

Sakura flinched as she heard Kakashi's words. Somehow, he had been able to read her like a book. Just like before. By merely hearing her pleads before, he had been able to understand her.

_How?_

That was the question that tormented her. How could someone possibly know her so well? How is it possible for someone like that to even exist?

_How? How? How?_

"Sakura...you fear loneliness more than anything, don't you? You put on that façade of being strong and that you don't care about anyone other than yourself but in truth…you haven't felt emptier in your life."

She looked away.

"Listen to me Sakura, I don't know exactly what happened but I will tell you this: I will never betray you. I'd _die_ before betraying you. Sakura, you mean _the world_ to me. I'd do anything for you. I want to see you smile again. I want to see you happy again. I want to help you. Maybe you can't trust me now but...I will try and regain your trust little by little."

Sakura looked at the intensity in Kakashi's eyes. She could clearly see the sincerity and determination in them. She remembered having seen those eyes before. He always had them whenever he made some kind of promise or vow. It was a look that never lied.

Seeing that look pierced her eyes and heart. A part of her wanted to run into his strong arms and seek comfort but another part of her was reluctant to trust him.

"You're important to me Sakura. We've been trying to force you to tell us what happened but I can see that that was a mistake. We shouldn't have forced you. So now, I'll wait when you decide to let me know. Until then, I'll wait patiently I want you to do what you feel most comfortable with."

His words kept penetrating him. She felt a lump beginning to form on her throat and what surprised her most were the tears that began to well in her eyes and the cries that got stuck in her throat. All those elements had assembled by themselves; unconsciously.

_Why?_

Was that the effect of Kakashi's simple words? Had he truly understood her so much to make her want to cry all her pain and sadness to him?

Questions and doubts flooded Sakura's mind. She wasn't sure what to think. Should she trust him? What about her resolution? What will her inner self say?

_What am I supposed to do...? Kakashi-sensei..._

"Well, I've said all I wanted to say today. So, why don't we go now?" Kakashi said as he stood up.

However, Sakura was still in the same spot; immobile and pensive.

"Sakura? You coming or do you need me to carry you instead?" The Copy-nin asked.

"Oh-uh, no. I'm fine. You're the one that needs the help." She walked towards him and placed Kakashi's arm around her shoulder. Though it surprised her the carefree way she had done that. Before, she would've been reluctant to be so close to him. But at that moment she had acted as she would've done before.

* * *

"Any signs of them yet?" A Stone-nin asked. 

"No, no yet…wait." The second Stone-nin narrowed his eyes as he saw two figures lying down on the ground. "Look!"

Both shinobis looked at the corpses that were spread out in the surroundings. The first ninja studied the pale, dried-up corpse of Kouta and noticed the headband symbol he was carrying.

"They are definitely Sound ninjas"

"So they must've been the ones sent to carry out the alliance. No wonder they haven't arrived." The second ninja commented while he looked at Shin's slaughtered body.

"Enemy ninjas." The first said, narrowing his dark eyes. "Someone out there must know what we're planning. Try and look for the scroll the Otokage promised us."

They searched the corpses' belongings bags, pockets but found nothing.

"Any luck?" The first asked.

"Nope."

"Damn. Then the enemy shinobis must've taken it." The first clenched his fist, frustrated.

"Judging from how damaged the ground is and the stench of blood, there must've been a pretty intense fight. I don't doubt that the enemy suffered serious injuries. Wherever they are, they need rest before returning to their village."

"You're right. Now that I think about it, there's a village nearby. They could've gone there. Let's go."

* * *

"How are you holding up Kakashi-sensei?" 

"Not bad, thanks."

After leaving the battlefield, it didn't take long for Kakashi and Sakura to reach the village. Once they arrived there, they stayed at an inn for a few hours before continuing on their way back to Konoha.

"I think I can walk on my own now." Kakashi said.

"No. I can't let you force your body in the weakened state it is." Sakura objected.

"But you're body is trashed. Carrying me only forces it. I'm sure you've been in pain all along."

"Don't worry about me. My injuries aren't as serious as yours." _Darn it…stop being so persistent. I don't want to keep talking..._

The Copy-nin let out a small chuckle.

"What's so funny?" The girl asked rather annoyed.

"Nothing at all. Don't worry; I'll stop talking to you unless it's necessary. I know you're afraid of saying more than you want to."

Sakura's eyes widened. _How did he know?_

"Like I said, I'll wait until you decide to let me know. When you wish to tell me what Sasuke and Ino did, I'll be waiting for you."

As soon as Kakashi said those two names, Sakura's body flinched. _How did he-_

"I heard you talking in your sleep; mumbling their names and asking 'why'. I guess they were the ones that betrayed you." Kakashi looked at Sakura, but she quickly looked away; avoiding his gaze.

"I'm sorry that they were the ones that hurt you Sakura. I truly am...and it hurts me to know the truth as well. I understand everything now Sakura and I want you to know that I'll always be by your side. Even if it's just my presence, I _will_ be there. I will _never_ abandon you Sakura. That's a vow I make and I'll die before I break it" He grinned at her.

Sakura could feel the grin penetrate her. She wasn't looking and yet, she knew it was there, painted on his face. She was afraid of looking at it directly. Now, she understood it. What she feared wasn't talking to Kakashi...what she feared was crying in front of him. Because she knew that at the moment she looked at him, all the cries that she had been trying to suppress will explode out of her.

_Kakashi-sensei..._

"You talk too much..." She mumbled with a fade grin that had escaped her face. But it was so fade that not even Kakashi was able to notice it in time.

* * *

The Stone-nins reached the small village and without anytime to waste they quickly began to ask the villagers if they had seen foreign shinobis stop by. Unfortunately, they didn't have any luck until they reached an isolated part of it. 

There they saw a man in a booth selling some food.

One of the Stone-nins stopped and asked, "Have you seen two foreign shonobis come here?"

"Foreign shinobis?" The man stood pensively. "Well, I saw two youngsters come through here. They were both very injured."

"How did they look like?"

"Well, there was a man and a young girl. The man had silver-hair and I think his face was covered and the young girl has an exotic-like hair; pink I'd say. But they left long ago."

"Ah I see. Thank you for your time." The first ninja replied.

"So, those must've definitely be the ones that killed the messengers."

"Yea, no doubt about it. Well, let's head back to Stone and talk to the Tsuchikage about what happened. Then we ask permission to go to Sound and inform the Otokage about it as well."

"Sounds good to me. I don't know who the hell those ninjas were or from what village, but they're really gonna regret having ever meddled in the Otokage's affairs."

"Yea, I'd really hate being them right now."

* * *

Once they reached Konoha, Kakashi was taken immediately to the hospital for treatment while Sakura was taken to another room for treatment to her own injuries. Tsunade assisted her personally. 

"You're lucky your injuries aren't so serious aside from your damaged muscle which will heal soon." Tsunade said as she bandaged Sakura's left arm. "You do have some broken bones but they'll heal in no time as well. Now I want to hear the report of this mission, did you manage to get the scroll?"

"We did. It's inside my bag." Sakura answered.

The Hokage went to the bag that was in the desk next to Sakura's bed and took the scroll from it, "Good job Sakura."

"Tsunade-sama..."

She looked at Sakura but she looked away. The kunoichi wanted to ask her about Kakashi's condition but the words wouldn't come out. It had been so long that she's cared for someone else that, she had almost forgotten how it felt to feel anxious about someone's well-being. It had been so long since she last asked for someone's well being that she had trouble finding the right words. Perhaps not because she felt uncomfortable, but because she was afraid Tsunade would think she had become soft again.

But the question was, was she truly becoming soft?

"You can go see Kakashi if you like. They must've finished with him by now."

Sakura looked at Tsunade, surprised. How did she know that she was going to ask that? Did she show that much uncertainty in her eyes? Was she truly becoming easy to read now as before?

"His condition looked very serious but because you assisted him, he's only able to live. If you hadn't saved him when you did, he would've surely died."

Sakura remained silent as she heard Tsunade's praise. A part of her was happy about it. It was the first time in a long time that she had been genuinely praised like that. She had even forgotten how it felt. But again, doubts and questions flooded her mind and to accompany them she felt a sudden prick in her back. It didn't take her long to know who was responsible for it.

Without saying anything, Sakura left her room leaving Tsunade in the chair.

The Godaime narrowed her bronze eyes, "Something must've happened in that mission…I wonder what?"

Gently opening the door, Sakura peeked inside Kakashi's room.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

He turned his head, "Ah Sakura, come in."

She closed the door behind her and slowly walked towards her sensei's bed. He was covered with the sheet up to his nose; as always when he came here.

"How are you feeling Sakura?" He asked.

"I'm ok, just a few bruises and broken bones. But I should be asking you that."

"I'm doing alright. The doctor said that if you hadn't treated me when you did, I'd be a goner for sure. But I'm sorry you got so hurt Sakura…I should've done a better job protecting you…"

Sakura lowered her gaze, "Do-don't say that…you saved me life…"

"It was the least I could do. If I hadn't…then I truly would've been useless and worthless…"

_Don't say that you fool…just stop it…_ Sakura clenched her fists; still looking away. She felt how inside of her there was a tornado of emotions swirling around, confusing her.

"Tsunade will be sure to ask me if I found out something."

Sakura looked at him, worriedly.

"Don't worry though, I won't say anything. So just stay calm, alright?" Kakashi gave her a grin.

_That grin again…_

Not being able to stand it anymore, Sakura stood up. "You need rest so I'll just leave." And stormed out of the room; leaving Kakashi rather puzzled about her reaction.

Sakura ran out of the hospital, not caring that she still had her hospital robe on.

_I don't understand! How? How is it possible for Kakashi to…to cause this in me? I had become strong. I had sworn to never depend on anyone but myself and yet…just one simple mission with Kakashi was enough to break me…_

_Why…?_

…

_Why do I feel like crying so much?_

* * *

Once she finally reached her apartment, Sakura let out a huge wail. The same wail that had been strangling her ever since the incident in the mission. Wide, heavy tears cascaded down her face. 

Every single word Kakashi said to her was still engraved in her mind, vivid as if he had just said them a few seconds ago.

"_The reason you shunned yourself form everyone was because you're afraid of getting hurt and betrayed again. However, by doing that you feel empty, don't you? The only thing that helps you avoid complete solitude is having us by your side, one way or another. Although you can't trust us, just by seeing us is enough to defeat the loneliness."_

_"Sakura...you fear loneliness more than anything, don't you? You put on that façade of being strong and that you don't care about anyone other than yourself but in truth…you haven't felt emptier in your life. "_

_How? How did he know? How is it possible for him to have known that by just hearing my voice? By just listening to my words…?_

She clutched the fabric of her robe right where her heart was.

_"Listen to me Sakura, I don't know exactly what happened but I will tell you this: I will never betray you. I'd die before betraying you. Sakura, you mean the world to me. I'd do anything for you. I want to see you smile again. I want to see you happy again. I want to help you. Maybe you can't trust me now but...I will try and regain your trust little by little."_

_It hurts…it hurts so much…_

_"You're important to me Sakura. We've been trying to force you to tell us what happened but I can see that that was a mistake. We shouldn't have forced you. So now, I'll wait when you decide to let me know. Until then, I'll wait patiently I want you to do what you feel most comfortable with."_

_Stop it…_

She held her head with her hands and crutched down.

_"I'm sorry that they were the ones that hurt you Sakura. I truly am...and it hurts me to know the truth as well. I understand everything now Sakura and I want you to know that I'll always be by your side. Even if it's just my presence, I will be there. I will never abandon you Sakura. That's a vow I made and I'll die before I break it"_

_ENOUGH!! _

Rolling into a fetal position, she hugged herself.

_Just stop it...get out of my mind…I…I'm scared…_

…_Kakashi-sensei…_

_What am I supposed to do?_

**See? This is what happens when you don't listen to me. Now look at what's happening to you. You look pathetic.**

_But…I had to save him. I just…_

**It was your desperate action that got you in this position. I never said to not save him. What screwed you up was allowing your anxiousness get the better of you. Now…you're as pathetic as ever. **

_Don't say that…_

**But it's the truth. Look at you! **

_Just leave me alone…I…I need to think about all of this…_

**You have nothing to think. Sakura, the only thing you have to do is continue being the way you are. You're going to be ANBU. It's what you've worked so much for.**

_Yes but…if being ANBU meant almost risking Kakashi-sensei's life then, I want to think about it once more._

**What?! Are you listening to yourself?!**

_I am. Kakashi-sensei…he…he said some things that…that were true…I was scared to admit it but…they are true…he…_

**Stop it! You're letting yourself get attached to him. You can't! Remember, if you trust him he'll betray you one day.**

_But he said that he'd die before he betrayed me._

**That's what he **_**wants**_** you to think. Don't be an idiot Sakura!**

_Kakashi-sensei has never lied to me. And…when he talked to me…I saw the sincerity in his eyes. I could feel it too. _

**Sakura! You're becoming soft again! Is that what you want? Do you really want to throw away everything we've worked for?**

_I don't know._

**The answer should be 'no'.**

_The answer will be the one I choose. I need to get my thoughts straight. I need to think on what I want…and what Kakashi-sensei said…I've never known someone to know me as much as him…it's like he can read me like a book. So you will shut up and leave me alone. Don't talk to me and don't invade me thoughts either. Disconnect yourself from me, understand?_

**Ch. Fine. **

_**I won't let you off that easily Sakura, I swear.**_

**

* * *

****Sakura's P.O.V**

I'm confused…

My head feels like it's spinning…

I feel a tornado of emotions inside me…

I don't know what I should do…

My inner self says that my life so far has been the right one…but somewhere inside Kakashi-sensei's words are still ringing in my head.

Lilly, Sasuke and Ino betrayed me…they abandoned me…they left me alone to rot when I needed them the most. They were the people that I _trusted_ the most…

…especially Sasuke.

I had given him my heart in his hands, and what did he do? He crushed it. He crushed it in tiny little pieces not giving a damn about me.

How can I trust others?

I swore to depend on myself only but I never realized how lonely that would be. I tried to ignore it, and I succeeded. I ignore the loneliness I felt. I kept telling myself that it was for my own good and that this loneliness is part of what it and that it would soon be replaced by gaining something better: becoming ANBU.

I put on the façade that I wasn't affected by anything; that I didn't care about anyone. I had completely hidden my true feelings from my inner self. In the end, I ended up believing that lie and even living it. I shunned myself completely from the truth and reality. I became a doll; unable to feel, unable to live, unable to realize the reality from the lies.

That is...until that mission; my mission with Kakashi-sensei. I had been telling myself since before the mission started that he was only my comrade and I should only say what was necessary fro the mission's success; that's all. And it was going as planned.

Until that moment...when Kakashi-sensei saved my life by taking the killing blow that was meant for me.

When I saw him collapse in front of me and all that blood around him...it felt as it someone had stabbed me right in the chest. After I killed the enemy ninjas I ran towards Kakashi-sensei to save him and when I saw the critical condition he was in, it felt like time had stopped; like the world had stopped spinning.

When I saw his pale face and crimson body, I felt how my body suddenly turned cold and not just because of the rain; my hands felt numb. As I saw how he was slowly dying right in front of my eyes, that's when something triggered inside of me. That something was the reality I had shunned. The more I tried to save him, the more I felt how he was slowly slipping away from my grasp. His image was becoming blurry; disappearing by the second. That's when I remembered my reality, how lonely I was; how empty I was.

Kakashi-sensei had always been there for me when I needed him. He was a precious person to me. He had helped me and comforted me when I needed it. And the fact that he was leaving me pained me. It pained me to see how I was slowly losing him. I remembered the loneliness and pain I felt when my parents died; when Lilly abandoned me; when Sasuke and Ino betrayed me. I remembered the colossal, empty void inside my heart. And as I watched how I was so close to lose Kakashi-sensei, I felt desperate, anxious. I didn't want to lose him. I didn't want to see him die. If I don't have Kakashi-sensei with me, the emptiness I'd feel would be too great.

I can't imagine myself without the person that has truly been there for me since I was little...

The person that has comforted me the most...

The person that has encouraged and praised me the most...

The person that has protected me so much...

I can't imagine my life...without Kakashi-sensei...

* * *

The night had arrived and Kakashi slept soundly in his room on the hospital. That is, until someone opened the door. The shadowed figure walk towards the sliver-haired man until the shadowed covered his body. 

Feeling the presence of someone, Kakashi opened his eye. Startled at seeing the person standing next to him he cried, "Who-who are you?!"

"That's very mean of you. How could you not recognize me, eh _Kakashi-sensei_?" The voice said. It was Sakura's impeccable voice however Kakashi noticed that it sounded different. It had an eerie ring.

"S-Sakura? That can't be you..."

"Oh, but it is." Sakura said with a dark smirk painting on her face.

"You're not Sakura." The Copy-nin narrowed his eyes. He turned on the light in his desk, illuminating the dark room and thus revealing Sakura.

"How are you feeling, _Kakashi-sensei_?" The tone of Sakura's voice sounded dark, almost patronizing.

"Who the hell are you?! And don't say you're Sakura. I can see it in your voice that you aren't her. She doesn't have the dark-sounding voice like you and her eyes don't shine with that evilness yours does." Kakashi demanded, frowning.

"My, such hostility. True I may not be the Sakura _you_ know, but I am very much Sakura. Just a side you don't know of her." Sakura replied.

Puzzled Kakashi asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Ever heard how everyone has an inner voice? Well, that's who I am. I'm sure you've heard of Sakura having something of an inner voice."

"I've heard. But it's just an inner voice. It's not an inner _self_." The Copy-nin glared at Inner Sakura.

"That's were you're wrong. I'm Sakura's inner voice but also her inner self. See...you've heard how everything has two sides. There's the light and the darkness...the positive and the negative. Well, I'm the negative side of Sakura. I'm the negative feelings Sakura has hidden away." Inner Sakura explained.

Kakashi kept glaring at the mysterious imposter in front of him. She certainly had Sakura body but she wasn't Sakura. And if what she said was true then it only angered him more. The way she talked with such darkness surrounding her and an impeccable smirk that reeked of pure evilness.

"Are you the one that has been making Sakura someone who she isn't?" Kakashi inquired.

"I haven't made Sakura do anything. I've merely served as a _guide_ to her. She needed my help and trust and I gave it to her."

"Liar. Sakura would never do what she did unless someone had persuaded her. You took advantage of her vulnerable side." The silver-haired man snapped.

"Enough. I didn't take advantage. Like I said, I helped her. But I didn't took over Sakura's body just to argue with you over a trivial issue. I came to give you a warning: stay away from Sakura."

"Why would I do that?"

"You're a nuisance and an eye sore. Because of you, Sakura has begun to doubt me and our plans. She's worked hard to reach ANBU and because of your meddling and pathetic words, Sakura is having second thoughts."

"Well that's good. I don't want her to get herself into something she _hates_. _You're_ only sinking her into a hell that soon she'll never be able to get out of."

"On the contrary, I'm only _helping_ her. The life she had before, how many times had she been hurt? How many times has she shed tears for others? Huh?! By listening to me, I've saved her all of that. She feels uncomfortable and lonely but that will change soon. Now, you better stay away from her or you'll pay dearly."

"And what do you plan on doing if I don't?" Kakashi asked with a defying tone, glaring at Inner Sakura as she glared back.

"Oh, trust me...you don't wanna know. I wonder, what will Sakura think if she one day suddenly woke up by your side with both of you naked? Huh? Her reaction will certainly be a sight to see." A malicious grin appeared on the rosette girl's face.

"You wouldn't..."

"Oh I would. Because Sakura has been filling her heart with dark emotions, I'm able to get in touch with the outside world. I know Sakura's every thought, every feeling and not just her, but others too. I even know about your oh-so-sweet secret love for Sakura."

Kakashi reacted to Inner Sakura's words with wide a wide opened onyx eye.

"You hid it so well from her and others, but I could see it clearly. Like I said, I can take over Sakura's body now but only when she's unconscious and for a limited period of time."

"You're completely selfish. You don't care for Sakura. You just care about yourself." The Copy-nin growled.

"Not really. After all, Sakura will gain something out of all of this but of course...I'll gain something too. So yea...I'm not _completely_ selfish. Well, my time is up. Don't forget. Stay away from Sakura or you will suffer the consequences. Bye bye, _Kakashi-sensei._" With an evil chuckle, Inner Sakura left the room leaving Kakashi completely furious and frustrated.

_Dammit! _

He clenched his fist.

_I have to do something about this! But what? What?!_

* * *

The two Stone ninjas reached the Otokage's place in the Sound village. They were greeted by Sound ninjas who escorted them to where Kabuto was. Along the way, they walked through the cells were prisoners were. The cells were damp, cold, and rocky; the atmosphere was eerie. Kabuto felt mercy towards no one; men, women and children were locked in cells. All crammed together awaiting their tormenting and torturing fate. 

Once they arrived to Kabuto's place they bowed to the Otokage who was sitting in his throne-like chair.

"Hello Otokage-sama."

"I get the feeling your presence it's not just to say hello. What happened? Did the ninjas I sent fail to carry out the alliance?" Kabuto asked.

"That's precisely why we came to your presence Otokage-sama." The first Stone-nin said.

"The shinobis you sent took longer that what was estimated and when we went to search for them, all we found were their corpses and the scroll you promised us was gone." The second continued.

"Dead you say? And the scroll was gone?" Kabuto raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir."

"And do you know who did this?" The Otokage asked.

"Well, we asked in a nearby village if they've seen foreign shinobis and indeed they did stop by. We asked a man in the village and said that they had seen two injured shinobis. According to him it was a man and a young girl. The man had silver hair with his face covered and the young woman had pink hair."

"A silver-haired man with his face covered and a pink-haired girl, you say?" A smirk painted on Kabuto's face. "I see. So they're the ones who have been meddling in my affairs. Thank you for your information. You may leave now."

"Thank you for your time Otokage-sama." The two ninjas bowed and were escorted outside.

"What are our next plans Kabuto-sama?" One of Kabuto's men asked.

"Our plans have changed a little. I know a better way of getting my revenge. Perhaps having Konoha meddle wasn't such a bad thing after all." He chuckled maliciously. "This will make things even easier for me."

* * *

Sitting down in his bed, Kakashi was waiting for Tsunade to give him the final call: if he could go home or not. However, his mind was elsewhere as he still remembered his encounter with Inner Sakura as if it had happened only a moment ago. After all, how could he forget that dark aura that surrounded that person who claimed to be Sakura? Or those dark eyes that shined with an evilness that could intimidate anyone. It sacred him to think that that person is inside Sakura and what was worse...it's the person that could control Sakura. 

_I know she's the one behind Sakura's transformation. I'm sure of it. But what can I do? If I try to approach Sakura, her inner self could to do something. I need to be sly._

"Kakashi." Tsunade opened the door thus interrupting his void of thoughts. "Good news. You've made a full recovery. You can go home today. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Kakashi, what happened in that mission?" Tsunade asked.

The question had caught Kakashi off-gaurd for a second but, he was prepared to answer her. After all, he had given Sakura his word that he wasn't going to tell Tsunade anything. And he was going to keep his promise even if it meant lying to the Hokage. As loyal as he was to her, Sakura was the priority.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama but I didn't find out anything."

"Really? Sakura seems...different for some reason. I could feel certain unsteadiness in her air unlike before. I thought you might know something."

"Well, this is just a speculation but remember that Sakura saved m; perhaps facing the fact that I was almost dying in front of her affected her in some way. But regarding anything of her personal issues, I wasn't able to find out anything." He partially lied.

"I see. Well, when you do please let me know, alright?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yes."

"Well, I just came to tell you this so I'll leave now. Take care and remember to not push yourself." With that, the Godamie left the room.

_Forgive me Tsunade but...I promised Sakura to not tell you anything. I'm in no position to lose the small trust she placed on me. I'm sure you would understand._

* * *

Straining her eyes with heavy groans, Sakura twisted and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. 

_Damn…_

Lying in her bed with her arm over her face, the rosette girl gritted her teeth. One of the things she hated the most was not being able to sleep. And a few factors were the only ones who could cause this. Unfortunately for her, one of those factors was acting now and that was having her mind flooded with thoughts and questions.

_How can I sleep when I keep thinking about me and Kakashi-sensei's words? I…I already made my decision to keep things as they are. I won't join ANBU just yet because I want to make sure that's what will help me. _

_But I really have to make sure…I…I need to talk to Kakashi-sensei…_

_He might have the answers I'm seeking…_

She stood up and, still with her pajamas on, she left her apartment.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was in his living room reading his favorite book, Icha Icha Paradise when he heard a knock on the door. Looking at the clock, and surprised by how late it was, he wondered who was at the door.

"Yes? Who is it?"

"It's me Kakashi-sensei…Sakura."

Stunned at the sound of her voice, Kakashi froze in his tracks. He wanted to open the door and see her, but he still had engraved in his mind Inner Sakura's warnings.

_What should I do? Should I let Sakura in or pretend I'm asleep? Idiot...I can't pretend I'm asleep since I already answered. It can't be helped…I'll have to let her in. In any case, I was still going to let her in…_

He opened the door, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked with a grin.

"I-uh…I just wanted to talk to you, may I come in?"

"Sure. You know you're always welcomed here."

After Sakura had made her entrance in Kakashi's household, he offered Sakura some tea which she accepted. Then, she sat down in the living room on the sofa. Once Kakashi was done preparing the tea, he brought it to Sakura and he sat beside her.

However, it wasn't until they were half-way done that Sakura finally broke the heavy silence that had taken over the atmosphere.

"How Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hm?" He looked at her puzzled.

"How…how is it possible for you to have known? It…it doesn't make any sense to me…" She tightened the grip she had on her cup.

Kakashi could see the frustration and the confusing that began to well up inside of her; the turmoil inside.

"How, you ask? Simple."

Sakura awaited Kakashi's answer with eager eyes; eager to know the answer of the question that had tormented her so much; that wouldn't even let her sleep.

"I've always been watching you." He finally answered. "Ever since we started as Team 7, I've been watching you carefully and that's how I came to know you so well. You've always been a strong girl Sakura and I've seen how you have proved that to us since the beginning."

"Don't kid yourself. I was never strong." Sakura looked away. "I became strong _after_ I became Tsunade-sama's apprentice. Before that…I was just a useless hindrance that would always sit in the background while Naruto and Sasuke did everything."

"Don't say that. You may not have realized it, but you did more than you think."

"Yea? Like what?" She asked, raising and eyebrow reluctant to believe his words.

"Well, when we were to protect Tazuna from Zabuza. You were the one that was mostly protecting him. Sasuke and Naruto fought Zabuza but you stood by Tazuna's side. I'm sure that you hadn't, Tazuna might've not survived. On the Forest of Death, I remember seeing you all trashed. I could only imagine what you went through. I asked Ino and she told me how you protected Sasuke, Naruto and Lee from three Sound ninjas all by yourself. If you hadn't protected them, they would've been long dead. So you see Sakura? You've done so many crucial things in your missions that not even you realize it. And I've noticed all of them. Every single tiny thing that may seem insignificant to you but to me…it's as important as something Sasuke and Naruto would do."

Sakura could only listen with surprised emerald eyes. No one had praised her in such a way like Kakashi had just done and what was more, is that he had actually seem all those little things she had done. She felt her heart flutter, rejoiced. She wanted to leap of happiness…but she contained herself.

"So you say that what little things I did actually had value? No one…has ever said that to me…" She lowered her gaze to her half-empty cup. "You know Kakashi-sensei…now that I've thought about it, whenever I was in pain or needed any kind of comfort, I can always remember you by my side. When I was progressing under Tsunade-sama, you were always there watching me. Naruto has helped me a lot, of course. But…after he left with Jiraiya to train I felt lonely. I know Naruto did the right thing however…I would've liked him to stay. I don't know how I would've ended if…if you hadn't been there during that time Kakashi-sensei…"

"I don't want to imagine that either…" Kakashi added.

Sakura turned to him and watched as his eyes took that pensive look, but also a painful one.

"I couldn't have bear to live with the thought of leaving you alone. That's why I always did what I could to stay by your side. Ever since I first saw you truly smile, I had sworn to always protect that smile of yours. To never let it fade away. That's why whenever I saw you take that worried look in your eye, or whenever I saw your smiles turn into sad frowns, I'd always tried to cheer you up. But…"

Sakura noticed how the more Kakashi talked, the sadder his words became; the sadder his tone was and the sadder his eye began to look.

"…when Sasuke left, and I saw how completely broken you became…I felt such an immense pain in me. It was as if I could feel your pain. I felt as if my chest was burning, hurting; like someone was stabbing me over and over again. My heart felt like it was being strangled, aching; I just wanted to rip it away from me so that the pain would stop."

His voice began to lower; she noticed how he tried to conceal that that cries got stuck in the lump that had formed in this throat. The rosette girl watched with sparkling, watery eyes how her sensei, her dear friend revealed such a painful sentiment that she could see he had been keeping inside of him for a long time.

"All that time, I just wanted to make you smile. If I could, I would've given my life for your eternal happiness. So when I saw how you slowly began to recovered, I felt so relieved. I felt like my heart wasn't as heavy as it was before; it wasn't hard to breathe anymore. When you began to smile again...I began to smile again too."

…

…

"However, when that happened everything changed. I knew your parents' death pained you but I was surprised that you were able to cope with is fast. That is, until Lilly left and Sasuke and Ino betrayed you. That's when…when I realized how you had not broken this time…"

…

"…this time…you had _shattered_. As I saw not only the despair you went through but your change…I felt that my heart began to shatter as well. As I watched how you slowly fell into that deep dark hell where you wouldn't let anyone save you from, and how you distanced yourself from everyone especially me…I felt helpless; helpless and useless because I couldn't do anything for you. I felt like a worthless miscreant."

Sakura had tried to hold her tears; she really had. But too many had accumulated for her to continue suppressing them that a few rolled down her cheeks.

_Kakashi-sensei…_

"In our mission, when I saw you about to die…I kept telling myself how useless I was. But then I thought that you didn't deserve to die. I cursed myself because you were always the one to suffer…always. You were the one to always be in pain when you never did anything wrong; when the only thing you wanted was a happy life among friends. So that's why I mustered the strength I had left to save you. Even if I wasn't able to do anything before…at least I was able to save you that moment…and protect your precious life."

He turned and looked at her; his melancholic onyx eye looked at Sakura's tearful emerald orbs. He reached out is hand and with his finger, her cleaned her tears away.

"It really pains me to see you shed tears…"

_Kakashi-sensei…why?_

"You mean the world to me Sakura. _You_ are _my_ world. I'd do anything for you. I'd _die_ for you Sakura. You are a special person to me. If it weren't for you…I don't know where I'd be right now. You saved me from the emptiness and loneliness I felt when Rin died."

Finally able to speak, she asked, "Why? Why are you saying all this things to me Kakashi-sensei? How could I mean so much to you?"

After the question, it took a few seconds for Kakashi to react. He leaned towards her until he gently touched Sakura's lips with his own covered ones. The girl's emerald orbs widened as soon as both lips came in contact; too shocked, she didn't even react until she noticed the impeccable shine of the tears that rolled down Kakashi's face.

"Sakura…"

…

…

…

"…I love you."

* * *

**A/N:** (Squeals) I really loved writting the last part of this chap!!! I tried and make Sakura and Kakashi's conversation as emotional as I could. (hopes she succeded). I'm sure you guys are all wondering two things: 1) What exactly is Kabuto planning?! 2) What the hell is Inner Sakura going to do?! Well, you guys will just have to wait for the asnwers. Bwa haha!!! (evil laugh) Eh...so yea...yes, Inner Sakura is another side of Sakura. And yes, she does have her own agenda. I wonder how many of you will figure it out before I reveal it? 

In any case, I hope you all liked it. Read & Review please!!! I'm curious to know your thoughts on Kakashi and Sakura growing relationship and of course, Kakashi's encounter with Inner Sakura.


	17. Chapter 17: Bewildering Realizations

**A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews of last chap. I'm very pleased to know you all liked it. Well, I hope I didn't took very long to update. Well, I'm glad to say that you're all going to be pleased with how things will be turning out. ****

* * *

****Chapter 17:** Bewildering Realizations 

"Wh-what...?" Sakura asked. Her ears had heard the words "I love you" but her mind was hoping to think she had heard wrong. Honestly, she didn't know what to think or how to react to Kakashi's words and the apparent kiss he had just given her. She couldn't make out the emotions she felt. Not because she didn't recognize them, but because so many had exploded at the same time, that she couldn't identify which they were.

However, despite her confusion and turmoil, she couldn't keep her eyes off the tears that rolled down Kakashi's face. She had known Kakashi for ages but she had never seen him shed tears.

And now that she had...she wished she didn't. The sight was just unbearable.

"I've always loved you Sakura...always..." Kakashi whispered; head lowered with silver bangs covering his face. "Ever since you were young...I've never told you my feelings because I didn't want to frighten you. And also because I knew of your feelings for Sasuke and I didn't want to be a burden to you. But...I can't hold it any longer. Sakura...I truly love you."

Not knowing what to do, Sakura stayed still, petrified.

_What should I do at a moment like this? What should I feel? What should I say? _

She felt how Kakashi's tear drops fell on tope of her legs. His tears...the tears he had kept inside of him all this time; tears full of the pain and heartache he had felt throughout the years.

_What should I do...?_

Her hands started to tremble but she didn't know why. And that only made things worse. Kakashi hadn't said anything else. He hadn't even looked at her. All she saw was his darkened face and his tears that were starting to dry up.

But she didn't want to stay any longer. She couldn't bear to stay any longer. She had witnessed something that probably no one in the village had ever seen before...and that was Kakashi succumbing to tears. Besides that, she couldn't bear to hear him say those words another time; those words that triggered so much pain in her heart.

She was afraid. And because she was afraid...she wanted to leave.

"I...I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei but...I-uh...I think I should leave now...g-good night." With that she quickly stood up, left her still half-empty cup in the table in front of her and walked, or should she say, ran out of the door without hesitation.

Still in the same place as Sakura had left him, Kakashi clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, grunting.

"I'm sorry Sakura..."

* * *

Once she hurried to her apartment and closed the door, she felt her jelly-like legs wobble, causing her to lose her balance and slide down to the floor. 

_What just happened? Did Kakashi-sensei really tell me that he loved me? _

_Was it a dream? _

_Was I hallucinating?_

…

_What's going on...?_

She felt disorientated; confused. The turmoil she felt didn't allow her to think straight or even be able to make out the emotions that swirled inside of her. The image of the person she thought he was, had disappeared. He had always been her sensei and she had always been his student. She had always seen him as a special person, as her guide. But she could've never imagined that he had seen her with different eyes.

_When did he start seeing me differently?_

She recalled all the times Kakashi had come to her aid; all the times he had comforted her; all the times she had been with him.

_Did he always look at me as woman?_

_"I've always loved you Sakura...always..."_

_No…no…no…_

_It…it's not possible…_

She held her head and crutched down, as if she was trying to get those voices and thoughts away from her.

"_I've always been watching you."_

_Stop it…_

"_Ever since I first saw you truly smile, I had sworn to always protect that smile of yours."_

_Stop it…please…_

"_All that time, I just wanted to make you smile. If I could, I would've given my life for your eternal happiness."_

_Don't say anymore…_

"_You mean the world to me Sakura. You are my world. I'd do anything for you. I'd die for you Sakura."_

_Enough…_

"_Sakura...I truly love you."_

_Don't say that…_

_I…I don't ever want to hear those words again…_

She curled up in a fetus position and hugged herself. Thinking of those words caused her whole body to turn cold; numb. They always made her remember Sasuke and how he trashed those sacred words; how he trashed them in her face without any shame.

Her whole body trembled like a rattle. She now understood what the most prevalent sentiment she felt was. There was no mistake about it.

_I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei…_

…

_But I'm scared…_

…_I'm very scared…_

* * *

Straining her eyes before stretching, Sakura woke up. The sunlight trespassed her curtains; illuminating her face. 

_From the looks of it, it must be noon already._

She got up, and went to the bathroom. There she brushed her teeth and washed her face. Looking at her damp face in the mirror, she recalled the night before.

_I couldn't get to sleep, but who would? With all that was going on through my mind. In the end, I had to take some sleeping pills. _

_What should I do now? I can't just avoid Kakashi-sensei…he'll feel bad. But…I don't know if I can face him._

**Well, you can't just stay inside your apartment for the rest of your life.**

_I know that. _

**You're a real nuisance Sakura. I tried helping you and gave you advice to avoid this. Now you'll be on your own. I'm not going to help you.**

_Fine, it's not like I need your help for this._

After eating a light breakfast, Sakura decided to go out to the village. There were more villagers outside than usual. But perhaps it looked that way to her because in three months she hadn't been really paying attention to them. For some reason, she had missed the hectic noises of the people buying in the stores, the cries of kids wanting candy and their mothers reprimanding them.

It actually felt good to go outside just for a breeze.

"Well, guess I should enjoy my time and buy a few things or maybe have a drink. But first, I'd like to stop by the hospital."

As she made her way towards the hospital, she heard a familiar voice address her from behind.

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned and saw Hinata waving at her. She waved in return. "Hi Hinata-chan."

"I'm glad I finally see you." Hinata said.

"Why?"

"Because I meant to tell you something." The Hyuuga heiress smiled. "I have some good news."

Spotting a bar nearby, the two girls went there to talk better. Hinata had reserved her news until they had sat.

"So what did you want to tell me Hinata-chan?" Sakura asked. She recalled the last time she had ever had a real conversation with Hinata. It felt like it had been so long.

"Neji nii-san and I..." Hinata blushed. "Well, we're engaged."

_Engaged? _Sakura stared at her friend, surprised by the news. _Neji-san and Hinata-chan engaged? _"Really? H-how-uh-when did it happen?"

"It happened a few weeks ago. He proposed to me and my father gave us his blessings."

"What I meant was, how did you and Neji-san go together?"

"Ah well, that was around three months ago. But, I had started to develop feelings for Neji nii-san a bit longer than that. It wasn't until three months ago that we actually confessed and started our relationship." She smiled at Sakura.

Sakura, in returned, notice the bliss in her voice and the happiness and joy that shined in her pearl eyes; she was glad to see her friend happy but after her experience in the romance department, she felt a sense of doubt in her. She wondered if she could ever talk with such certainty of her love with someone and most of all...if she would ever love someone again.

Sakura remembered how Hinata was in doubt of who was the right person for her. It surprised her to see that she had chosen Neji and at that moment, recalled how Neji had been in love with Hinata for a long time. When she remembered that, she felt her heart jump of joy as she realized that Neji's wishes had come true and that now she was going to share the rest of his life with the woman he had loved so dearly all this time.

Noticing that her friend's mind was elsewhere, Hinata asked, "Is something the matter Sakura-chan?"

"Hinata-chan...how did you knew that Neji-san was the person for you? How can you be so sure that he's the one?" Sakura asked.

"Well…just because I am." She smiled in return. "I can just feel it. I mean, at first I don't think I was aware of it but I always had this feelings towards Neji nii-san hidden inside of me. One day I started realizing how he was always there with me when I needed someone the most and that I'd always feel at ease with him. I could always tell him anything and I knew he'd understand and comfort me if needed. I guess that's when I started to see him differently."

"So you just know and that's it? Just because you felt it?" Sakura asked. For some reason, she couldn't really comprehend that factor.

"Well yes. Now that I'm with him I can't really imagine my life without Neji nii-san. I feel so secure with him. I know that nothing will go wrong and I just feel like I belong with him. I…I just feel complete with him Sakura-chan."

The rosette girl observed Hinata's eyes. The shined with complete truth and certainty. Those were eyes that could not lie. But what was more was that Hinata's words had made Sakura realize what it was like to be in love. She could tell Hinata was in love and that she was sure that her life with Neji was the life that will make her happy for eternity.

_That's what love is; that wonderful feeling. Did I ever felt that with Sasuke?_

"You ok Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked noticing the uneasy and worried face her friend just made.

"Uh-yea. I'm fine. Don't worry. In any case, I'm very happy for you Hinata-chan. You have my sincere congratulations." Sakura grinned. "Well, I should go no. I planned on visiting the hospital."

"Ah alright."

Sakura got up but before she left the bar, Hinata called her, "Sakura-chan."

The kunoichi turned in return.

"You'll definitely appear in my wedding. You'll be my maid of honor."

What Hinata said made Sakura feel a leap of joy in her heart. She was happy to know that Hinata had been thinking of her this entire time. Despite how she had avoided her and the kind of person she had even become, her friend still had faith in her and was waiting for her.

_What had I done?_

* * *

Once she reached the hospital and entered, she stopped in the entrance and looked around. It felt like it had been such a long time since she last came here. She dare say she missed it; the cold air, the smell of fresh air; it all felt nostalgic. She remembered liking those days; when she worked there and saved people's life. 

_This hands..._She looked at them. _I had cleaned my hands when I dedicated my time here; I had cleansed all the blood that had covered them. And now...I've once again soaked my hands in blood. They still reek of that putrid smell. _

_What path should I take now?_

_Should I listen to my inner voice, or should I listen to what my heart says?_

However, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the hurrying footsteps of a medical team along with the running wheels of a bed. The noises sounded hectic, alarming.

"Hurry up! He needs to be taken to the operating room immediately and someone call Hokage-sama now!!" A male voice cried.

Sakura hurried to were the pandemonium was. She entered the emergency room and came in shock when she crossed paths with the medic bed and the person resting in it.

"Naruto!"

His body was covered in blood; he had a mask on his mouth that provided him of oxygen. One of the medical staff was using chakra to halt the blood that flowed out of his body. In short, his body looked completely lifeless and the critical stage that he was in, caused an ache in Sakura's heart. The same ache like when she saw Kakashi almost die in her face.

"What happened?!" Sakura asked frantically.

"Naruto must've gotten in some kind of fight during this mission." A medic answered.

"He was on a mission?"

"Sir! Nara Shikamaru and Inuzuka Kiba are being treated as we speak. Their state isn't as critical and Uzumaki Naruto's." A second medic reported as he ran towards them.

Just then, Tsunade arrived along with Shizune.

"Get Naruto in the operating room now!" She ordered.

"I'm going with you." Sakura said.

"You can't."

"I have to! Naruto will die if he doesn't get treated! I'm-." But she was interrupted by her master who gave her a firm glance with her bronze eyes.

"I said no. I'm sorry Sakura but you can't. You are no longer part of the medic team. I'm sorry. But don't worry, I _will_ save Naruto."

With that, Tsunade, Shizune and the medic team entered the operating room with the unconscious injured Naruto, while Sakura stood in front of the door feeling useless and worthless.

Kakashi rashly entered the emergency room where he found Sakura sitting in a bench by herself. When Sakura heard the door opened as alarmingly as it did, she turned to see who it was and was surprised to see Kakashi.

_Kakashi-sensei! _

"Sakura! I heard what happened and rushed here. How's Naruto?" He asked.

"He-um…" She stammered a bit before answering. "He's inside. Tsunade-sama is operating him as we speak."

"I see."

"Naruto he…he was bleeding so much. He looked so pale…" Her eyes began to take that shine that always made Kakashi's heart ache.

"I…I wanted to do something for him; to save him." Her voice broke and trembled along with a hiccup. "But…but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. Because I'm no longer part of the medic team, I can't go in there and save Naruto."

Tears cascaded down her face as she covered it with her hands.

"Naruto's dying and I can't do anything about it! Why am I so useless?! I'm going to lose him too! I…I…"

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms embrace her from the front.

"Don't say that Sakura. You aren't useless." Kakashi whispered. "You won't lose Naruto. He'll be fine."

For a moment, Sakura forgot everything. She forgot the night of yesterday, Kakashi's confession, the doubts and turmoil she had in her mind and just let everything be like it was before; when she hadn't known of Kakashi's feelings.

She put her arms around him and sunk her face in his vest, letting out all her cries and tears. Kakashi's words had comforted her a bit, but weren't able to push away her tormenting feeling of being useless.

For the first time, she regretted listening to her inner voice.

"I promise you Sakura, Naruto will be fine." Kakashi added.

She looked at him with her tear stained face. The sincerity in his eyes…they never made her doubt; never. The solemn and gentle look he had in his onyx eye were like a void, pulling her in; making her believe his words and forget the pain.

"Really?" Was the only thing she could ask; she wanted him to reaffirm what he had just said; she wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

"Yes. So please…" With gentleness, he whipped with his finger a tear from Sakura's face. "…stop crying. You know I hate to see you shed tears."

_How…? _

_Even after what happened last night he…he can still act so normal. I can't even look at him without remembering what happen and somehow he's able to act like nothing happened? _

_I…I want things to be like before but…but I can't. I can't just forget about it. He…he said he loved me. _

_And that changes everything._

Sakura looked away turning her face as well, away from Kakashi. It didn't took him long to know what that signal was as he felt how he pushed him away with her eyes.

"I'm not acting any different Sakura. I'm treating you the way I've always treated you."

_He's right…this is no different._

"I'm not asking you to accept my feelings Sakura. The only thing I want is for you to stay with me as you've always been. I don't want to lose you Sakura." He came closer to her which made her distance herself more from him.

_I want to stay with you too Kakashi-sensei but I can't. Things can't be like they were before._

"Sakura, I know you're avoiding me. Tell me why. I want to know what's affecting you so much. I want to understand Sakura. Please…" He leaned closer to her. "…tell me. Trust me. Why are you so afraid of me now?"

"I-uh…I…" She knew what she wanted to say. She knew the answer to Kakashi's question. But for some reason the words wouldn't come out. They were in her throat but it was like they were holding themselves from going out.

She swallowed, "I…" But just as she was finally going to talk, she was interrupted when Tsunade opened the door of the operating room.

Forgetting about their conversation, Kakashi and Sakura turned their attention towards Tsunade.

"He'll be just fine." She said.

When Sakura heard those words, she couldn't help but let out a huge sigh of relief. It was as if Tsunade had just lifted a huge weight from her shoulders that were beginning to crush her.

"You can go see him now, though he's still sleeping from the anesthesia." The Godaime added.

Without a second to spare, Sakura hurriedly entered the room to see her friend. She was relieved to hear he was alright but she had to see him. She had to see with her own eyes that he was alive and out of danger. Only then, could she be at complete peace.

And of course, she wanted most of all to apologize because if she hadn't taken that bloodthirsty path, she could've been the one to have saved him.

* * *

There he was, sleeping; sleeping soundly as if nothing had happened. His trashed clothes had been stripped away from him and substituted by the hospital robe. 

As she looked at him she wondered why is it that when someone goes through some kind of pain and fall unconscious, they have such a peaceful face. It was as if their pain never happened; the excruciating pain they felt was merely just a prick.

She had witnessed that with her parents, with Kakashi…and now with Naruto.

It wasn't fair.

The more she thought of that, the more it pained her. It really wasn't fair for her to carry both her pain and theirs.

"Naruto..." She caressed his face. "Please forgive me. I should've been the one to have treated you but I couldn't. I failed you as my friend. I'm sorry…"

Kneeling down, she grabbed his hand and sobbed in it.

"I'm so sorry. I want things to be like they were before. I really do. You're my friend, my family. But…but I'm too scared to trust anyone anymore. I wish I can begin to trust you and everyone again. I really do. But I don't want to get hurt again…I don't want to go through that horrible pain again…how will I know none of you will ever hurt me?"

"We can't guarantee it…" A weak, raspy voice replied.

Sakura immediately recognized it and lifted her head with lightened eyes, "Naruto…"

"We're human Sakura-chan. We all make mistakes. We'll all end up hurting each other at one time but I can guarantee you this Sakura-chan: we'll never end up hurting each other twice." He let out a sweet and kind grin, "I swear it Sakura-chan."

"Naruto…" Sakura's eyes filled with tears of joy and relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm sorry for everything I've done." Tears came out.

"I'm so sorry…I…I was so angry and hurt because the people I had trusted the most had betrayed me; they had stepped on my trust as if it was trash so I thought that I was completely alone; that I had no one. That's why I made my decision to trust only myself and went into killing. Because that was the only way I could bent all the negative and painful feelings I had inside of me."

She whipped the tears off her face to make way for the other series of tears that were waiting to make their way out.

"I thought I was alone; that my actions and decisions didn't affect anyone other than myself. But…after seeing you and Kakashi-sensei almost lose your lives because of me…I now know that I was never alone; everything I do will affect everyone close to me. I was a fool Naruto…I'm the biggest kind of fool to have every existed…I'm so sorry Naruto, please forgive me."

She lowered her head, feeling shame for the person she had become and for the kinds of pathetic and foolish thoughts she had had in her mind.

With his weak and trembling hand, Naruto placed it in Sakura's head.

"Don't be sorry Sakura-chan. It wasn't your fault. And you're no fool, don't ever say that. The thoughts you had they were natural. Any person who went through what you did would've thought the same."

He gave her his smile, "What I'm glad now, is that you're back to the person you were. Knowing that you're the caring person you once were, makes me happy. So don't worry about what happen, Sakura-chan. It's all in the past now."

The pain, humiliation and anger she felt for her betrayal had really blinded her. She had thought she was alone and that staying alone will help her. Instead, it only made things worse. Now she understood it.

However, not everything was alright for there was one person who wasn't content with any of this.

* * *

After the commotion at the hospital had ended, by the time Sakura returned to her apartment it was already late night. But as soon as she was about to go to bed, her inner voice decided to stop by for a nice little chat. 

**So Sakura, you're going to put your trust again to your little friends?**

_Yes. I am._

**Heh. You're really weak. You allowed your feelings to get the better of you and now, you've played right into their trap.**

_Don't give me that bullshit. You've seen how Naruto and Kakashi-sensei have been. They've proven me that they'll never betray me. And also, I'm sure you heard what Naruto said. We all hurt each other once, but never twice. _

**You're too gullible Sakura. That's your weakness.**

_Enough. The path you persuaded me to take didn't help me at all. I'm going to start trusting my friends again. _

**Do what you want. I no longer care about what you do. Now, I'm going to ask you this: what will you do with Kakashi?**

…

**Well?**

_I…I don't know…_

**You seem to be troubled. I knew it was going to happen.**

_I don't want to lose my relationship with Kakashi-sensei. He means a lot to me but…but he loves me and…_

**And you're afraid.**

_Yes._

**You're afraid of falling in love with him or just believe in his supposed love?**

_I…I'm not sure…both... I guess…_

**What do you think of Kakashi now?**

_I don't know alright. I don't know how I'm supposed to see him now…_

**What do you mean by that?**

_Well…I thought he saw me as his former student. I don't really doubt that he has, but before that he sees me as a woman. I don't know if I should keep seeing him as my former teacher or…or as a man…_

**It doesn't matter the way you decide to look at him. That won't change the fact that he supposedly loves you. **

_I know that. But I have to make a decision. Things are different now. I don't think we can go back to how our relationship was before._

**If you ask me, you're the one who insists that things are different. Kakashi isn't treating you any different. You're the one making a big deal out of this. You know the way you want to see him. You're just either too scared to accept, in denial or you haven't realized it yet.**

_Stop assuming things. If I knew I wouldn't be this confused. I mean, I've seen him as my teacher for 6 years now. And now suddenly I know that he has seen me as a woman for all along? I can't just switch to see him as a man just because he sees me as a woman._

**What's the big deal? I mean, whether you see him as a man or a teacher it doesn't take away the fact that he loves you. Besides, it's not like seeing him as a man will make you fall in love. Or is that why you're so confused? Because you have the feeling you might fall in love if you see him as a man?**

_I-uh…I don't know. I…I just don't want to fall in love again and be fooled. _

**Like I said I no longer care what you do. Do what you wish. I tried to help you avoid trouble with your friends but since you'd rather listen to them and believe them I'll just step aside.**

_Stop acting so pathetic._

**I'm not being pathetic. I'm just saying what I think. I really did try to help you.**

_Well, I'm sorry but the way you tried to help me really didn't._

**Whatever. Listen Sakura, I still want you to join ANBU.**

_What for?_

**Well, I know you no longer what to kill needlessly and I respect that. But being in ANBU can actually help you. I think your problem is that you allow your feelings to get to you too much. By being in ANBU you'll be able to control that. Keep your feelings when you're with your friends and whatnot but when you're in a mission and you need to kill someone, you'll detach yourself from your feelings at that moment.**

_I don't know about that…I really hate ANBU…_

**Think about it at least. It's not a bad idea. After all, all of ANBU's kills are necessary and never bloodthirsty. **

…

**Just think about it, alright?**

_Fine._

**Remember Sakura. All I want is your happiness.**

_**Sakura, you won't get rid of me that easily. I'll make sure you get into ANBU. I won't let your foolish feelings get in the way of my plans.**_

_I don't know what I should do. I don't want to see Kakashi-sensei as a man because if I do...I get the feeling I might fall in love with him. Sasuke says he loved me...and he didn't. I'm scared to experience that pain again; being deceived like that. I don't know what I'd do if...if Kakashi-sensei also deceived me by making me fall in love with him._

She remembered Hinata's words from before.

"_Now that I'm with him I can't really imagine my life without Neji nii-san. I feel so secure with him. I know that nothing will go wrong and I just feel like I belong with him. I…I just feel complete with him Sakura-chan"_

_After what she said, I'm certain that that's the feeling someone has when they are truly in love with the person that they belong with. I just wonder if…if I ever felt that with Sasuke when I was with him…_

_And more importantly if that's something Kakashi-sensei makes me feel…_

…

_I'm not sure what I should do…_

After her conversation with her inner self came to its conclusion, the rosette girl went to sleep despite the whirling thoughts that were hammering her head. But she managed to fall asleep. In fact, she fell asleep so soundly that she didn't even hear her window being opened from the outside.

A shadowed loomed over the sleeping girl. Sensing the presence of someone, Sakura opened her eyes but she wasn't able to make out the shadowed figure as she blacked in a second by the unknown intruder that placed a handkerchief in her mouth.

"This was easier than I thought. Well, better get outta here before someone spots me." The intruder said as he swiftly left the apartment with the kidnapped kunoichi lying over his shoulder.

* * *

The next morning, Kakashi stormed into Tsunade's office with an alarming voice, "Hokage-sama! I found this letter in Sakura's apartment! She's been abducted!" 

"What?!" Tsunade reacted. "Let me see that letter!"

The Copy-nin gave it to her and she read it. Her bronze eyes followed rapidly the writing.

"This is absurd." She commented with a low voice. "Kakashi don't worry. I know how we'll get her back."

"How long will it take to find her?" Kakashi asked calmly, though truthfully on the inside he was very hectic and struggling with his desire to leave right now and find her. But he knew that doing that without any knowledge of the situation would be suicide and could put Sakura's life in danger.

"I doubt it'll take long. The conditions here are absurd however I know how we can handle this. We'll get to Sakura in no longer than around 3 days." The Godaime narrowed her bronze eyes. "We will finally put and end to his ridiculous actions."

Meanwhile, Sakura strained her eyes opened as she felt the uncomfortable feeling her body got. She could notice the hard surface her body was laying in and more importantly how it was affecting muscles.

_Where am I? I'm definitely not in my room anymore. What the hell happened?_

She recalled the moment she saw a darkened figure in front of her.

_I couldn't see him because I passed out before my vision had adapted to the darkness. He must've used some ammonia to get me to pass out. Damn! I was so asleep I didn't even hear him get into my room!_

Looking around, she noticed the rocky walls around her and the humid air around her. The eerie and familiar feeling the room gave her caused chills over her body.

_This is…_

At that moment, the wooden door creaked open. Once Sakura noticed the figure that walked towards her, her emerald orbs widened, gasping.

_Kabuto!_

"Hello, Sakura-chan." Kabuto said with the dark smirk that had painted on his face. "It's good to see you again."

* * *

**A/N:** Yay!! Sakura's back! I'm happy that Sakura has returned to the girl we all know and love. But that Inner Sakura really makes things hard, doesn't she? Well, Sakura's very confused and insecure about the whole thing with Kakashi. I sure hope things work out for her, don't you? But yea, before that we must deal with Kabuto. Though I just made him do it to add a little action to the plot. But he'll be gone soon. 

So yea, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please Read & Review! Thank you! Also, I'm pleased to say that I decided to make a myspace for this. That way I can interact with you all and I think it'll be fun to get to know each other. It's: **www (dot) myspace (dot) com (slash) underworld (underscore) girl01**


	18. Chapter 18: The Past and Present Collide

**A/N:** I was hoping to have this chap up sooner but things got complicated. I got a virus (mononucleosis) so I was seriously bedridden for almost 3 weeks. Next I had to catch up on all the school work I missed so I barely had any time for myself. Luckily though, during that time I managed to brainstorm a bit and write a little (even writting got me weary).

In any case, thank you all for the wonderful reviews of last chap and I do hope you enjoy this!

* * *

**Chapter 18: **The Past and Present Collide

"What do you want with me?" She demanded with a strong glare.

"All I want is revenge my dear Sakura-chan. You should know that by now after all, Konoha has been the one that has meddled in my plans."

"How did you find out?"

"After you killed the ninjas I sent to Stone, the Stone ninjas noticed their tardiness. Of course, once they saw their corpses they immediately knew that an enemy village is against us. Luckily, they went to the village nearby and a villager told them they had seen a silver-haired man with his face covered and a pink-haired young girl. As far as I know, you and Kakashi are the only ones that fit that description." He smirked.

"You plan on making war with Konoha, aren't you? Is that how you plan on getting your revenge? Well, let me tell you something; that will only be suicide for you. You have no chance of winning that war. Konoha has stronger allies. You will not win. Even if you allied yourself with Stone, the shinobis of the smaller villages couldn't compare to Konoha's."

"I'm aware of that. But winning the war wasn't my intention. In fact, I could care less if all of my pawns died. However..quot; He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if Konoha thinks the same of their own."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked puzzled.

"For as long as I've known Konoha, they aren't people who would just leave their shinobis to die. Konoha is a peaceful village who will always choose peace whenever they can. So I wonder, how will the Hokage react when she sees all of those innocent people die? Because I'm not just aiming to fight your shinobis and kill them. I'm to send ninjas to kill villagers too."

"No." Sakura gasped. "You wouldn't..."

"I would. Obviously, Tsunade will do anytihng to prevent that. And when I say anything I mean _anything_. So of course, I already had planned my negotiation. But since the tables have turned and my alliance with Stone has been stopped, I decided to take another approach. Sakura..quot; He pointed at her. "_You_ will be my tool for revenge,"

"Me your tool? How the hell can I be your tool? You want revenge for Orochimaru's death. What kind of connection could I possibly have with him?" _This doesn't make any sense at all..this guy's just insane.._

"My dear Sakura-chan, you are more connected to my revenge than you think." He pushed his glasses up his nose before continuing. "What I want..is Sasuke's death. And you are the person that will help me achieve that."

_Sasuke's..death? _

"My original plan was to negotiate Sasuke in order for me to stop the war; since that plan got ruined, made a second plan which is to use you."

"I get it now." Sakura smirked. "You planned on creating war with Konoha and kill the innocent knowing that Tsunade-sama would do anything to stop it. That's where Sasuke comes into the picture, right? Since he's still considered a traitor, the village won't be so affected by that and some will even support it. Well, I'll say that your plan could've worked if your original plan happened. Because now...everything just went down the drain for you. Sasuke won't come for me. I mean nothing to him; he could care less whether I'm dead or alive. It makes no difference to him."

"I'm surprised to hear that. But most of all, I'm surprised to know that the girl that loved him so much, knows so little of him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"From the looks of it, I know more about Sasuke than you."

"You didn't answer my question." Sakura raised her tone as she narrowed her eyes. However, Kabuto grabbed her face firmly with his hand.

"Know your place." He said with a serious, intimidating tone. His eyes glared at Sakura's emerald ones as she recoiled her head away from Kabuto's. "Don't forget that you're in front of the Otokage. I chose you as my bait for revenge. I didn't choose you if you were as useless as you claimed."

After letting go, he headed towards the door. "One of my men will come to feed you. I'm sure you've noticed that you're unable to move your limbs. You must surely know the reason why so I'm going to save my breath."

"Do pray that Sasuke comes because if he doesn't..." His dark smirk appeared. "Then it'll be most unfortunate for you."

_Yea right.._Sakura scoffed. _As if Sasuke will ever come. _

_He doesn't care about me. If he did, he would've waited for me. He would've taken my feelings in consideration. But of course, he didn't. He won't come. And if he does, I'm sure it'll be because he's gonna get dragged here by force. Either way..I was just a simple adventure to him. _

_I think Kabuto got confused..if he wanted Sasuke here..he should've kidnapped Ino instead._

* * *

In the Hokage tower, Kakashi was assembled with Anko, Asuma, Kurenai and Gai.

"I can't believe Kabuto will go to this extreme." Kurenai said.

"But this is completely absurd I mean, to use Sakura as a ransom?" Asuma added.

"I know." The Godaime replied. "Because of this we can only assume that Kabuto has a reached the point of insanity. Now I realize what his plans were. He's using Sakura as a negotiation. If we don't bring him Sasuke he'll kill her. However, I'm almost certain that he was planning something similar when he was allying himself with the other villages."

"You mean that he planned to create a war but then he was going to negotiate with us?" Anko said raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"That's right." Tsunade confirmed.

"So to stop the war he was going to ask for Sasuke." Kakashi said.

"Correct. But that's not the issue now; the issue is that Kabuto isn't in his right state of mind. The Kabuto I know wouldn't have done something as absurd and ridiculous as this. All the same, we need to make sure that Sakura returns back safely. I'll send an ANBU squad as well for backup. You must rescue Sakura at all cost." Tsunade ordered.

"What about Uchiha Hokage-sama?" Anko asked.

"He will take no part of this. Even if his citizenship as a Konoha ninja hasn't been fully recovered, he's still a Konoha villager. Therefore, we must protect his life at all costs."

"But if we don't bring Sasuke to Kabuto, he's going to kill Sakura. You said it yourself Hokage-sama, Kabuto's not sane. He could kill her." Kakashi demanded.

"Kakashi." Tsunade shot a glare. "You're letting your emotions get the better of you."

Tsunade's words caught everyone's attention. Anko, Kurenai and Asuma shared puzzled and curious glances at each other. Kakashi was never one to talk about his personal life other than to Gai, so Tsunade's revelation opened the doors of curiosity in them. But even if their curiosity was eating them apart, they knew better than to ask.

"I understand what you're saying but you better than anyone know the reason why Sasuke mustn't go to Sakura. You must rescue Sakura at all costs. You will all part for Sound right now; reach it in no longer than three days."

"Yes." All the shinobis said in union before parting.

The five jounins met at the front gate without any delay.

"What will we do if we meet enemy ninjas?" Gai asked.

"Nothing. The ANBU black ops will be behind us. Will just hold the enemy off while they arrive and once they do, we go on ahead." Kakashi explained.

"Who has to soldier's pills?" Kurenai asked.

"I've got 'em right here." Anko answered, patting her back pouch.

"Good. We'll need those since we'll need to run all night if we want to reach Sound as quickly as possible." Kakashi commented.

"Now that we're ready we need to step on it. I don't think Kabuto will wait long. He said he wasn't going to harm her, but I don't doubt that he'll do something to her." Asuma said.

"If he does, I'll personally make sure he pays for it." Kakashi glared.

* * *

_Sakura-chan wasn't in her room and her window was opened too. Knowing Sakura-chan, she'd never leave her room opened like that._

After noticing Sakura's strange absence, Naruto decided to look for her. First he went to the hospital since it was the most probable place she'd be in however, the nurse in the front desk said that Sakura hadn't arrived here for the entire day. Next, the blonde boy went to Hinata's house but along the way, he bumped into an unexpected person.

"Sasuke..."

Sasuke looked at Naruto with his trademark solemn onyx eyes, "Naruto."

Naruto kept silence as he glared into Sasuke's eyes; they looked so carefree and indifferent as before.

It irritated him.

_How can he be this calm after all that Sakura-chan went through? How come he hasn't looked for her once all this time?_

Without another words, Sasuke passed right by Naruto but he didn't leave until Naruto spoke.

"Have you seen Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"I haven't. Have you searched her usual places?" Sasuke replied.

"That's what I'm doing but I asked you in case you'd know. After all, you are her _boyfriend_." Naruto noticed the sarcastic way the word 'boyfriend' had come out of his mouth. He didn't know why he had done it though. But he remembered that when Sakura had said that she got betrayed by the people she trusted most, Sasuke came into his mind.

"I haven't seen Sakura lately. I heard she retook missions again so I imagine that it's keeping her busy. But still, it seems very unlike her to have taken such a rash decision."

"Sakura-chan did retake missions and for the wrong reasons. She said she did it because of the pain, anger and humiliation she felt. She told me that because the people she had trusted the most had stepped on her trust like it meant nothing. So to her, she was completely alone and decided to only trust herself and went to kill without need to vent all her anger and pain."

Sasuke listened closely to Naruto's words. He could notice how Naruto's voice hurt as he told him that. But he said nothing.

"Luckily, Sakura was able to come to her senses and is now back to the person she once was. I'm glad that..me _and_ Kakashi-sensei were able to save her before it was too late."

Feeling a sudden struck of guilt, Sasuke lowered his head as gritted his teeth. "Was it really grave..what she went through?"

The question caught Naruto by surprised as he didn't really expected Sasuke to ask something like that.

"Yea. You didn't see her that day..it..it was horrible..Sakura-chan was..she was cut all over..she had cut herself with her kunai..quot;

Sasuke's eyes widened. _She cut herself?_

"Sakura-chan was in total despair..she became neurotic. In fact, Kakashi-sensei told me that later on..she got drunk and later at night she became hysterical and tried to kill herself. So you can imagine all the pain Sakura-chan felt to have wanted to die so she could end it."

_She was going to commit suicide? _The Uchiha thought. _She went that far?_

"So you see Sasuke, what Sakura-chan went through wasn't easy and I swear, I'll never forgive the person who hurt her. Not even when I die."

Even if Sasuke wasn't looking at Naruto, he knew the kind of face he had. It was a serious one and his cerulean eyes were narrowed, determined. There was no mistake about it.

"At least..she's ok now, right?" Sasuke asked reluctantly.

"Yea. Well, I'm going to Hinata-chan's house to see if she's there." With that, Naruto left but didn't noticed that Sasuke not only didn't reply to his farewell but that he also stayed in the same place without moving an inch.

_Sakura.._

He clenched his fist firmly.

_Damn.._

_Dammit all..._

* * *

At the Hokage tower, while Shizune walked in the hall carrying a load of papers in her arms when suddenly she noticed Naruto rushing by.

"Ah! Naruto-kun!" She called but it was futile as he ignored her and headed towards Tsunade's office. "Must be about Sakura."

"Tsunade baa-chan!" Naruto cried as he opened the door.

"You could knock you know!" Tsunade cried in return. "And stop calling me that!!"

"Tsunade baa-chan, do you know where Sakura-chan is? I've looked in every place she could be and she isn't there. No one has seen her either."

Letting out a loud sigh, the Godaime closed her eyes. "Naruto, come here."

Once he was in front of her desk, Tsunade handed him a letter. "You'll know where Sakura is once you read this."

As he read it, Naruto's eyes widened. "Kabuto kidnapped her?! And he wants to use her to get Sasuke?!"

The Hokage nodded in response.

"Then I have to get there! I have-"

"No Naruto." Tsunade interrupted him. "I already send Kakashi and group of jounins to retrieve Sakura. I also sent ANBU black ops as backup as well."

"I'm sure Sasuke doesn't know about this." Naruto added with a much serious tone.

"That's right. Although he's directly connected to this, I don't want to get him involved. Despite it all, he's still a Konoha villager and as the Hokage is my duty to protect everyone regardless of who they are."

"It was better that he didn't come anyways."

"Why would you say that?" Tsunade asked with a tone of curiosity. She could notice the resentful tone in Naruto's words though she also knew that it wasn't intentional. He was merely just thinking out loud.

"I don't know why but I get the feeling that Sasuke took part in what happened to Sakura-chan. She said she got betrayed by the people she loved and trusted most. I know for sure that Lilly is one of them but since Sakura said 'people' another person is part of this. And well..."

"Since Sasuke is Sakura's boyfriend, he's the closest person she had at that moment."

The blonde boy nodded with his head lowered.

"That's what I thought as well. However, we don't have proof of this so we can't accuse Sasuke."

"I know that. But still, if he was the other person then I'm glad he isn't going to Sound. Seeing him would only hurt Sakura-chan and he wouldn't deserve to save her." Naruto added with his eyes narrowed.

"I understand that's why I didn't send him. Either way, Sasuke doesn't know so you have nothing to worry about. Kakashi and the others know what they should do. Kabuto isn't in his right mind. He's acting recklessly and it's obvious that he's mentally incapable of doing anything correctly. So it won't be too difficult to retrieve Sakura."

"Alright." Naruto turned and left. "But if they take too long, I'll go. I won't forgive myself if something happens to Sakura-chan."

Tsunade laid back on her chair letting out a loud sigh.

_Not that I can't go against that. _

_Sakura..you're blessed to have people like Naruto and Kakashi with you. One way or another, you will be rescued._

* * *

_Damn..I can't feel my arms or my legs._

_He paralyzed my nervous system. If it were my muscles I could get free by merley concentrating my chakra in my body but since he touched my nervous system directly, in order to reverse the effect I need to touch the rightful points. And of course, I can't do that._

Sakura looked at her surrounding; the rocky, damp walls, the stone-hard floor, the dim lights; she hated it. It brought back unpleasant memories. Her memories had a name: Sasuke. Being here reminded her of him and thus of all her pain. She swore that she'd never wanted to see this kind of construction ever again and yet, here she was. It was as if life was playing joked on her; mocking her.

She hated it.

She hated how Life treated her.

As she looked around with nostalgic eyes, someone opened the door. A figure which resembled that of a young man entered the room.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked with a serious tone.

"I'm the one that's going to feed so. So shut up and sit straight." The man responded.

"Sorry but I'm not going to let someone else feed me. I won't lower myself to such in such a degrading and humiliating way." The rosette girl defied.

"That won't do. The Otokage-sama gave me the order to feed you or else. So, you will eat or I will force-feed you." He placed the tray in the floor and kneeled in front of Sakura with a spoonful.

However, Sakura began to study his face now that he was so up-close. He looked familiar thought she can recall she has never met him. The young man had a handsome face; his eyes were brown and he had short, abundant silver-hair.

"Now, open your mouth and-" As he was about to feed her, he noticed how Sakura's penetrating emerald eyes stared at him.

"What are you looking at?!" He snapped with an embarrassed yet annoyed tone.

Sakura began to stammer. She couldn't believe the person that was standing on front of her and if she was correct then, it would only make the situation even more surprising.

"S-s-su..Susumu..." She finally said with a trembling voice.

"How do you know my name?"

At that moment, Sakura's eyes opened wide in shock.

_It..it is him.._

"You..you're..." She swallowed. "You're Lilly's boyfriend, aren't you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Susumu replied with a surprised face. "How do you know about Lilly and I?!"

"Lilly..she's..she's my elder sister. I..I found a picture of you hidden in her room."

"You're...you're Sakura then?"

She nodded in response.

Susumu kept quiet, still gape while Sakura could only stare at him with eyes of shock. She could never forget him; the person who Lilly abandoned her for. She remembered how after Lilly left, she began to loathe her boyfriend and swore that if she ever met him, she'd slap him and yell at his face how she'll despise him for all eternity.

And yet..there he was; right in front of her, wearing the Sound outfit and the headband with the Sound symbol on his forehead.

_It's really him.._

"What a small world." A grin appeared in Susumu's face. "To think I'd meet Lilly's younger sister and here of all places."

Sakura looked at that grin. How she hated it; how it patronized her. How could he _dare_ show her that grin after ruining her life? If only she hadn't had her arms paralyzed, she'd definitely punch him so hard that she'd made sure his handsome face was left deformed.

"It's a real shame to see you in this situation Sakura-chan."

"Don't you dare call me that as if you're close to me." Sakura snapped with her face darkened in anger. "How dare you grin at me after what you did? You despicable bastard."

"I don't understand the reason for your hostility."

"Don't you patronize me! You ruined my life."

Susumu noticed the glares Sakura shot at him; her emerald eyes full of anger and hatred. They were like venom; deadly venom that could make anyone flinch. It surprised him to see that a girl that had a frail and innocent appearance could in reality be so strong and fierce.

"How could I possibly have ruined your life? We weren't acquainted to begin with."

"How? How you ask?! I'll tell you then! You're the fuckin son of a bitch that my sister abandoned me for!"

"What are you talking about?!quot; Susumu reacted. He didn't understand were Sakura's hatred came from let alone why she insulted him just now.

"And you still dare to mock me?! You fuckin bastard! My sister left me for you!" Her voice broke as cries began to accumulate in her throat. "She left me alone to rot by myself even though our parents died!! She abandoned me because of you!!quot;

Then, the tears burst.

"Your parents died..."

The question surprised Sakura. She looked at him. His face was just as surprised as hers.

"They died a few weeks before Lilly left." Sakura replied.

"This doesn't make sense. Lilly said that the reason she was able to come to me was because her parents had given her their consent."

"What?" _She lied?_

"She said that you knew of her leaving and supported her and that the Hokage had also allowed her to leave the village."

_No..that can't be..Lilly..she wouldn't lie like that, would she?_

"I taken that, Lilly lied, didn't she?" Susumu added regrettably.

Sakura looked at Susumu's face. Though she didn't know him, she could see the sincerity and regret in his face and of course, how ashamed she was of it all. At that point, she regretted saying those awful things to him as she now knew that he was unaware of the situation.

"I..I didn't know Lilly was so..so selfish. After our parents died, we just had each other and began to accept the fact that it was just going to be me her and I. But then a few weeks later, I caught Lilly leaving at the middle of the night."

The young man listened attentively; he observed as Sakura's emerald eyes took a glow that shined with many sad emotions such as melancholy, nostalgia, resent and most of all..pain.

"Because she left at night you can tell that Tsunade-sama didn't give her permission to leave. The only reason she isn't being tracked down is because her leaving doesn't threaten Konoha since we know she hasn't done anything against us. Still..she's classified as a missing-nin. I begged her to stay. I begged her with all my heart. But my tears and pleas didn't move her..."

She remembered the horrible dagger-like words that Lilly told her; no matter how much she wanted to, she could never forget them. It was as if at that moment, Lilly had mercilessly carved those words in her mind damming her to remember them for eternity.

_"I'm tired of this place."_

_"I never wanted to be a ninja in the first place."_

_"I'm just as sad as you are but unlike you, I'm not going to mope around about it."_

_"You coming with me will only be a hindrance and a burden. I'm going to make my life by myself without you. I'm sorry Sakura...but that's how things are."_

_"Good bye Sakura, forever. I'll make sure we don't cross paths ever again."_

"She..she didn't care about me. She left me alone..she abandoned me. And she made it look like you're the one to blame."

Susumu watched as Sakura's tearful eyes looked at him. At that moment, he felt a stab in his chest. It pained him to see the young girl's eyes looked at him so hurtful; how they pleaded to him. If he could say what her eyes told him, he'd say one question: why?

That's what her eyes begged him to know: why?

Why had Lilly abandoned her?

Why had she been so selfish?

Why?

"I'm..sorry" It was all he could say. He knew that there weren't any words that would comfort Sakura's broken heart and shattered spirit. He knew that the image Sakura had of Lilly had been destroyed completely.

"Where is she now?"

He looked at her.

"Where's Lilly?" Sakura asked again.

Uneasy by the questions, Susumu began to stammer a bit. He had certainly not expected her to ask that after their conversation.

"Well, you see..." He swallowed. "She's not here with me."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked puzzled.

"Lilly's dead."

* * *

"Ahh. Today sure was heavy." Ino said as she whiped out a sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Mind as well call it a day."

She untied her apron from the back and placed it in the hanger. Then, she closed the Yamanaka flower shop.

All seemed like a normal day, that is until she suddenly heard a voice call to her.

"Ino."

The voice was impeccable and it made her body froze as she immediately recognized who that penetrating, deep and solemn was.

"Sasuke..kun..." She muttered as she turned her head towards the direction of the voice. Indeed, it was Sasuke. He was resting on the wall beside the shop, waiting for her.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" Ino replied.

"Why didn't you tell me what happened to Sakura?" Was Sasuke's response.

He looked at her. Though he didn't say anything, his eyes spoke for him and she knew what he had just asked in his mind.

"If I had told you, what were you gonna do? Would you have gone to her aid and comfort her after hurting her?" Ino said with a serious tone and her sky-blue eyes narrowed to compliment it. "Not even _you_ are that cynical."

The Uchiha remained silent.

"Even I couldn't go to see her..." she added sadly.

"Even if my brother did despicable things and even if I loathe him...in the end...am I any different from him?"

The question caught Ino by surprise. He had never shown that kind of emotion before let alone ask something like that. More so, she noticed how he avoided looking at her straight in the eyes. Not that he felt like crying, but probably because he felt too ashamed of himself.

"No Sasuke-kun...don't say that." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Look at me."

Instead, Sasuke only looked the opposite way.

"Listen, you are not your brother. You are nowhere _near_ what your brother is. Sasuke-kun, you may act selfish but the problem lies within the turmoil in your heart."

"What are you talking about?" He asked puzzled.

"Sasuke-kun, your heart is in turmoil. You feel too many emotions at the same time that you don't know which to follow. Because of that, you go with the most prevalent one of them all and usually that one isn't the best. I think that because of the way you lost everything you love, you want to hang on to the strongest sentiment you can feel because you think that's the one that will make you complete. Sasuke-kun...you're desperately looking for someone and something that will make you complete. But since you don't know what it is or who it is, you just follow the feeling that's the strongest."

Ino turned Sasuke's face towards her as she fixed her eyes in his own.

"You want to know what the difference between you and your brother is?"

"What is it?" Sasuke asked but with an unconvinced tone that showed there was no difference between them.

"The difference is that unlike your brother, you feel regret. Itachi didn't regret killing your family and hurting you. But you...you are regretting hurting Sakura."

He felt a small stab of pain and guilt. Ever since he had found out about what happened to Sakura, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Even if he showed indifference towards the whole situations, in truth he was anxious. The reason he showed that he didn't care was because he wasn't sure of what he wanted; and because he was insecure, he didn't want to see her.

"What can I do for Sakura?" he finally asked.

"Only one thing: apologize to her. It's the least we can do. We can't expect forgiveness in return but we can show how ashamed we are of having hurt her."

Sasuke didn't nod but Ino knew he agreed with her. She had already expressed herself so she didn't want to push Sasuke more than what he has been.

"Well, I'll leave you now." She walked pass him. "And Sasuke-kun..."

She turned, "...you're not a bad guy. You have to find out what is it you really want."

Sasuke stood pensively in the same spot, thinking of Ino's words and advice.

_What it is I really want._

_Just what _do_ I want?_

* * *

The group of jounins hurried to Sound; Pakkun had joined them as well.

"How close is ANBU to us?" Anko asked Pakkun.

"Close enough. If we were to face enemies, they will reach us in a matter of seconds." The dog answered.

"Kakashi, I understand your frustration but don't make any rash decisions, alright?" Gai advised.

"I know. I'm aware I let my emotions compel me and that was a mistake. It will not happen again." The Copy-nin responded.

Kurenai, and Asuma were behind the rest in order to be the lookout from behind. However, they were having a conversation of their own.

"Asuma, what do you think about what the Tsunade-sama said regarding Kakashi's emotions getting the better of him?" Kurenai asked.

"I'm not sure. I mean, I'm as curious as you since Kakashi doesn't really talk about himself. But if you ask me, I think that his whole issue with Sakura has gotten him pretty vexed." Asuma answered.

"I think so as well. Kakashi has changed a lot these past months. Still, I'm surprised he'd hold such strong feelings towards a girl like Sakura."

"We can't be certain that his emotions are romantic ones but it is a speculation. I mean, for Kakashi to lose it like that in front of the Hokage well..it shows how desperate he is. It's not really like him."

"And not only that but if he does allow his feelings to get the better of him, it could prove dangerous to Sakura."

"Which is why we need to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't do any reckless." Anko suddenly added.

"Anko!" Kurenai responded startled. "Did you hear what we talked about?"

"Meh, just a little." Anko said. "But it was a very interesting conversation and it does make sense."

"However, there's still something that I'd like to know..." Kurenai commented to herself.

"Kakashi, why do you think Hokage-sama doesn't want Sasuke to come?" She asked.

"She said she wanted to protect him, right?" Asuma added.

"That's not the primary reason." Kakashi answered.

Everyone's attention drew to the silver-haired jounin.

"What Tsunade wants to avoid is having Sasuke and Sakura see each other."

"Why's that?" Anko asked.

The questions hit Kakashi hard. It made them only relieve the moments he witnessed of Sakura's despair; the moments that he wanted to forget.

"Sasuke is connected to what happened to Sakura." He answered stoically.

"What happened to her?" Kurenai asked.

"Ah right. Kurenai, you remember what I told you that Sakura had gone through a major crisis, right?" Asuma said.

"You mean Sasuke was responsible for that?" The red-eyed jounin replied surprised.

"You can't be certain of this Kakashi. After all, there's no prove it was Uchiha's fault." Anko added.

"I know there's no proof but..." He clenched his fists. "I know he had something to do about this."

"Still how-" Anko was going to insist until she saw Gai throw her a glance that told her to stop. She immediately interpreted it and forgot about the issue.

Gai looked at Kakashi. He had told him what had happened and Gai understood how even answering the questions superficially pained him.

"Don't worry Kakashi. We're going to save the girl." Gai said.

Kakashi looked at him and saw how Gai did his trademark pose.

"I'll bet my life on this one."

Unconsciously, Kakashi let out a small chuckle. Though it felt ironic how he could even chuckle despite the circumstances.

It was definite. He was going to save Sakura whatever it took. Not only is she the one that gives meaning to her life, he wasn't going to abandon her either.

At this point, death wouldn't be an obstacle but merely just the outcome, if it had to be, of rescuing the woman he loved.

* * *

Those words rang heavily in her ears.

_Dead? _

_Lilly's...dead?_

"No...that can't be..." Sakura murmured as she shook her head, attempting to deny those words.

"It's true. She died a few months ago."

"No...you're...you're lying..." _Lilly can't be dead, she can't_.

"Do you think I'd lie about something like this?!

"But...she can't be dead. I don't believe you!"

Susumu saw how frightened her eyes were; how her pupils even trembled. After what she had revealed to him, her fear probably didn't come of who had murdered Lilly but that yet another person in her family was gone.

Sakura lowered her gaze as her the tears she didn't thought she would shed, began to stream down her face.

"Did...did Kabuto kill her?"

Susumu shook his head, "No."

"Then who?" The girl demanded.

After an interval of a few second and taking a deep breath, the young man finally answered.

"I did it."

If hearing the revelation that Lilly was dead rang heavily in her ears, then this one was like it was carved in them.

The shock it caused her petrified her. If she had words to say and feelings to express at that moment, she had forgotten about them. It was as if her mind went completely blank.

_No..._

_It can't be..._

"Yes..." Susumu looked away. "I killed her. This isn't something I'd joke about."

The seriousness in his words proved Sakura the worse; it was true. And that only accumulated to the pain she has been receiving.

Her mouth moved as she tried to pronounce her words they wouldn't come out.

_How could you...?_

Susumu only kept avoiding Sakura's pained eyes.

_How could you...?_

His silence tore her apart.

"How..." She finally managed to mutter, almost whispering. "How could you...?

"I had to. It was the only way I could save her."

"So you just killed her?" The answer Susumu gave her automatically substituted the sadness she felt, for anger. _How could he answer so casually?_

"Shut up you know nothing." He replied.

"I know enough to understand that you killed my sister! She abandoned me for you!! And what do you do?! You betrayed her love towards you in the most horrible way!" Sakura snapped in return.

"I said you know nothing! So stop judging me! I did not betray her!"

"Really?! Then tell me why you did it! Tell me now you bastard!! Sakura cried with cries stuck in her throat.

As much as Susumu was irritated for Sakura's judgment, he could see how anxious she was to know the truth. It was as if she had to know or else, she was going to break trying to find out.

"Please tell me..." She sobbed.

While he watched her for a moment, he saw how small and delicate she looked. He even feared touching her, scared that he was going to break.

_Can someone so fragile really exist?_

"Fine I'll tell you." He finally said.

* * *

**A/N:** So yea, plot twist, ne? Who would've thought Sakura would meet face to face with Lilly's oh-so-famous boyfriend? Well, I really didn't want him to seem like a bad guy since for some reason I had pictured him very gentle. So regardless of what he did, he isn't a bad person. Next chap will explain everything. Anyhows, it's about time Ino and Sasuke got ashamed, ne? I also didn't want to classify them as bad people so I decided to add them in this chap just so we can see just how affected they really are.

In any case, I hope you all enjoy this. I have now some good new and bad news. The good news is that I have thought about all the next chaps so all I have to do is solidify my ideas and since I'm in my spring break I have plenty of time. The bad new is that this story is about to come to an end (sobs). But I will make the end really good. So yea, please Read & Review!


	19. Chapter 19: Tainted No More

**A/N:** YAY! I'm so happy to have chap 19 up so soon! Well, I'm sure that's how its gonna be from now on. I have everything in my mind so all I have to do is write them. If all goes well, I should have the rest of the chaps up as quickly as this one. I sure hope you all enjoy this chap!

**

* * *

****Chapter 19:** Tainted No More

Sakura stared at Susumu, or should she say glare. He was about to explain the reason why he murdered Lilly, her sister; his girlfriend.

_Girlfriend…_

The second word that made her shiver after 'love'. For some reason, all the boyfriends she meets have all betrayed their girlfriends one way or another. Is that the curse of all girls…or just the Haruno girls? Either way, he was going to explain why he killed her; though to Sakura's eyes, such an abhorring act could never be justified.

"I'll explain everything from the beginning." Susumu said.

The kunoichi merely kept looking at him with eyes of resent awaiting his so-called "explanation".

"It was about a few weeks after Lilly came to our village. She had already been welcomed by the villagers and even considered one of us. She lived with me, my mother and my younger brother. Everything went perfect for us that is, until Kabuto-sama came to our village." Susumu explained. "After discussing his matters with our Raikage, Kabuto and the Raikage gathered everyone. Then, Kabuto spoke saying how he needed strong shinobis to aid him in his goal which was to create a war with Konoha. He promised us that no severe casualties will occur in our part since the war was going to end soon. However, he specified his great need of capable strong young men from our village."

"What does Lilly have to do with that?" Sakura inquired not fully understanding the connection her sister has with the affair just mentioned.

"Everything." Susumu answered. "Believe me…everything…"

He continued, "You see, Kabuto asked personally that I be one of his top men. He had seen and heard of my skills as a shinobi. However, Lilly didn't approve of it. Even if she had severed her ties with Konoha as you can see, she still remained loyal to it. In any case, I accepted Kabuto's request. Not that I had a choice really. If I were to decline, he would've surely killed my family. I had seen him done so to those who refused."

He narrowed his eyes. "I couldn't bare it if my mother or brother died. I didn't have a choice. Lilly, on other hand, stood firm in her position against everything; in fact, she even tried to persuade me to stop helping Kabuto. Sadly, Kabuto noticed Lilly's attempt to stop me and thus, summoned me."

"_How many I serve you Otokage-sama?" Susumu asked as he kneeled before Kabuto._

"_It has reached my ears that a young girl closely acquainted to you has been becoming an obstacle to you; persuading you to leave my side. May I ask who this girl is?" Kabuto said in a solemn voice._

_Susumu swallowed, "Her name is Lilly Otokage-sama."_

"_And what is she to you?"_

"_She's my girlfriend."_

"_Ah, your girlfriend. So I see." Kabuto rested his elbow on the hands of the chair and then his chin on his elbow. "So I taken these rumors are true."_

"_Yes." With Kabuto, there was only 'yes' or 'no'. Susumu had no choice but to say 'yes'. If he has said 'no', he'd be lying and that could cost the life of his family._

"_May I please say, Otokage-sama, that although Lilly has been persuading me to stop my service to you I have declined her pleads. Nothing will stop me from serving you Otokage-sama."_

"_Yes I know you will not betray me however, her meddling has proved an annoying inconvenience; an obstacle. I cannot have that."_

"_I will speak to her and make her stop."_

"_No. You do not understand where I'm coming from Susumu-kun." He pushed his glasses upward the bridge of his nose. "When I see an obstacle…I eliminate it. That girl has become an obstacle and thus must be taken out of the way."_

_The young man immediately understood Kabuto's intentions. "I beg you Otokage-sama, please do not kill her. She will no longer be a hindrance to you."_

"_Enough. Once I classify someone as a hindrance, they become one. And a hindrance will stop being a hindrance when it's destroyed. I will seek that your girlfriend disappears or…" A fade dark grin painted on his face. "…you could take care of it yourself."_

_After a sepulchral silence had covered the atmosphere, Susumu finally answered._

"_Alright. I'll take care of it, Otokage-sama."_

"After that, a few days later I killed Lilly." Susumu concluded.

"I think I missed the point where you _justified_ you killing her." Sakura snapped sarcastically with her emerald eyes narrowed to compliment it.

"Don't you get it?!" The boy responded irritated. "What do you think Kabuto-sama would've done if I hadn't been the one to kill her?! Think about it!"

Susumu let out a loud sigh; regaining his calm demeanor.

"Kabuto-sama was going to kill Lilly. But it wasn't going to be a quick death. He was going to make sure she died a slow and painful death, tortured. I...I couldn't bear having Lilly die in such a way. So I chose to kill her. I made sure that she died without feeling any pain. Physical that is…"

"But…" He clenched his fist as he lowered his head; his silver bangs covered his saddened face. "There isn't a day in which I wish my death will just come so that I can make amends for killing my Lilly."

Sakura's face softened as she looked at Susumu's sorrowed face. There was no mistake in the pain his eyes showed; the pain that felt so familiar to her when she got hurt as well.

_I was wrong about him…_

"You know, I just wondered if when you killed Lilly she might've thought about me; when she abandoned me. I wonder that if that moment you betrayed her, to her eyes, she thought of me." The rosette girl commented.

"I don't know…" Susumu answered. Then, he walked away towards the door. "I ought to leave now."

Sakura nodded. "I'm sorry I insulted you. You aren't the person I thought you were."

"Don't worry about it, and Sakura-chan? Please pray that Kabuto-sama's plans succeed. I don't want to lose you as well."

With that he left the room with Sakura in it, sitting on the hard-rocked floor with her numbed limbs.

* * *

The five Konoha jounins hurried to their destination; not stopping a moment to rest. The time they took to get to Sound was crucial. The longer they took, the more Sakura's safety will be jeopardy.

"If we keep our pace up even through the night, we will reach Sound tomorrow afternoon." Kakashi commented.

"Don't think it'll be a walk in the park. I won't doubt that we'll face enemy ninjas soon." Anko added.

"Kakashi, have you thought of a plan?" Gai asked.

"Yes. So I'll need everyone to pay close attention. Gai, before we get to Kabuto, I'd need you to transform into Sasuke. Among us, you're the person that knows Sasuke's character second best than I so you'll need to act like him."

"Gotcha." Gai replied with his trademark thumbs-up and wink.

"Kabuto is insane, but he isn't stupid. I'm sure he won't let Sakura free the moment we give him "Sasuke". So to avoid him finding out our Sasuke is fake, I'm going to summon my dogs from under him to prevent him to move. It worked with Zabuza so I won't doubt it won't work twice. Anko, Kurenai, once my dogs bite him you two will throw chakra-filled kunais at him to prevent him from any kind of movement. Aim at his arms."

"No sweat." Anko said.

"Alright." Kurenai added.

"Asuma, when Kurenai and Anko do that, you will appear from behind Kabuto and hold him of with your brass knuckles. That will surely make him unable to try anything while I get Sakura. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a way to use my Chidori and stop him for good."

"No problem." Asuma responded.

Kakashi then pricked his thumb with his kunai. He then did a series of hand signs and placed his hand on a branch.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Smoke appeared and then, a pack of dogs joined.

"Listen well all, the next time I summon you, I need you all to focus on Kabuto's sent and appear not where I summoned you but underneath Kabuto and hold him off with your fangs, alright?" Kakashi explained.

The dogs affirmed their master's orders by letting out a bark. Then, they disappeared the same way they entered the scene.

"Now that this is settled, let's keep going." The Copy-nin said. Everyone else followed.

Sakura fluttered her eyes opened but with a lot of strain. Her body hurt; spasms all over and most of all she felt weak. Her stomach made that annoying loud roar for maybe the 10th time demanding the food she hadn't received since morning.

_I feel so weak I can barely move. That damn Kabuto took almost all of my chakra away…_

She noticed that her limbs were no longer disconnected to her body but rather now were tied with rope. Her disorientated eyes looked around her abominable room; the she's been damned to be in for the past two days.

The door opened.

"Good afternoon Sakura-chan." Kabuto greeted with a cynical smile.

_Son of a bitch._ That's what she'd say if she had the strength to.

"Well, it's been two days and Sasuke hasn't arrived. It'll be a shame if he doesn't, you know?"

"I…I already…told you…" Sakura panted. "He's not…going…to come…"

"You don't cease to surprise me Sakura-chan. How is it that the girl who professed her unconditional love to Sasuke doesn't even know him?"

"Shut up…! I know Sasuke…I…I was his…his girlfriend. If…if he loved me…he…wouldn't have cheated…on me."

"Ah. Now that only makes what I said even more true."

Sakura gave Kabuto a bewildered look.

"See Sakura-chan, Sasuke isn't really the complex person you classify him to be. Sasuke tends to be driven by the strongest emotion he feels. As you've experienced, his revenge was a mere ambition but that ambition turned too strong for him and in the end, he followed it; even if it meant betraying you all. And now…"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure he loved you but with love comes lust. If he cheated on you it means that you didn't give him what he needed which was to satisfy his lust this he searched for that in someone else. I'm making sense, aren't I?"

Kabuto looked straight into Sakura's awed emerald eyes. In fact, he was so close to her that he could even see how they trembled.

"I am right."

_No…it…it's not possible._

Sakura tried everything in her power to deny Kabuto's words. She couldn't believe them; she didn't want to believe them. Because she feared that if she did, then she will become worthless. Much to her disdain, her mind began to recall the incidents her captor mentioned.

_Sasuke betrayed us for revenge because he needed power. And he cheated on me because I didn't want to have sex with him._

_Oh God…_

_No…no! It can't be true!_

_No._

_If Sasuke really did love me, he would've waited for me. It's not like I was never going to have sex with him. I just wasn't ready at that time. All Sasuke had to do was wait a little._

_But he didn't._

_He didn't._

_So it can't be true. Kabuto's lying._

"I know you're trying to deny everything Sakura-chan. I can read you like a book. But you know it's the truth. You just don't want to accept it."

He leaned towards her and cupped her chin.

"Just accept it. It's not like it'll hurt you. Besides, this is what's going to save you. Since Sasuke loves you, I know he'll come to me. He wouldn't want you to die; the only person that has ever truly loved him."

His onyx eyes trailed Sakura's body.

"You know…now that I have a good look at you, you aren't half bad." He smirked; automatically, chills crawled up Sakura's spine. Not because of what he had just said but of the way he looked and grinned at her.

His eyes shined with a sickening lust and his grin only complimented his twisted desire. It disgusted her.

"I wonder…" He's hand began to crawl up Sakura's shirt. "What kind of face will Sasuke make when he sis his precious Sakura-chan being _claimed_ by me?"

Utter disgust compelled Sakura's whole being that that moment.

"No...!" She moved her shook her head away from Kabuto.

"There's no use resisting Sakura-chan. You can't really do anything about." He said maliciously.

The frightened girl began to oppose Kabuto's advances by moving around. But her eyes opened in shock as she felt Kabuto massage her breasts. Her emerald eyes welled with tears; her body was being invaded and she couldn't do anything to prevent it.

"No...please stop..." she begged.

"No can do. I never realized how desirable you are. Now I see why Sasuke was so infatuated with you." He leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear and even rousing her earlobe.

Sakura's body stiffed as a reflex along with her trembling body. The Otokage held her face firmly. He stared into Sakura's eyes.

"You know, for some reason your face seems familiar. I think I've seen this pretrified face before." He studied her face thoroughly. "Ah yes! Of course! Who could I forget? A woman had the same face you have now but well…I killed her. In fact, she looked exactly like you."

A horrifying thought flashed through her mind. It couldn't be…

"I remember she had a man with her as well. But no matter now, they are long dead."

"Those…those were…my parents…" She mumbled.

"Your parents? My my, what a plot twist. So I killed your parents Sakura-chan? And you didn't know? How shocking." He said cynically.

"You fuckin bastard…you're the one who slaughtered them…" She said with a growl mixed with cries and her tear-filled eyes.

"Actually no. All I did was rip their tendons and muscles. I let my pawns do the killing." Kabuto said with a malicious grin.

He stared at Sakura's shocked, pained face. How he loved seeing that look. It only turned his lust even more. He just wanted her to keep making those faces because when Sasuke arrived, that was exactly what he was going to see.

He began to trail kisses down her neck, snapping Sakura out of the thoughts that had flooded her mind. She struggled to get his nauseating saliva away from her.

_No...no...!_

_Someone please save me..._

_Please..._

_Save me..._

_Come for me..._

Kabuto was just about to claim Sakura's lips when suddenly he took his kunai out and blocked a kunai that was heading towards him. He turned to see who his attacker was.

It was none other than Susumu.

"I won't let you hurt Sakura-chan."

Kabuto slowly stood up. "Susumu-kun, may I ask why this treason?"

"I'm sorry Otokage-sama, but I won't let you hurt Sakura-chan. I won't let you hurt Lilly

sister."

"Lilly's sister?" The Otokage looked at Sakura. "Your girlfriend's sister?"

He let out a laugh. "How amusing! I guess I'm connected to the whole Haruno famile, ne? Who would've thought that you were that girl's sister? Now I see why you want so desperately to save her Susumu-kun. Is it because you regret killing your lover?"

The young man kept silent as he swallowed a lump.

"Am right, aren't I? Well that's only natural of course. I mean, since you met with her sister you would want to protect her." He chuckled. "How pathetic. It's not like it'll do you any good. Your lover is dead and if Sasuke doesn't come soon, this girl will be dead as well."

Kabuto walked towards Sakura but Susumu stepped in front of him.

"I won't let you." He glared.

"Really?" Kabuto did a sign with his hand. Suddenly, Susumu let out a huge scream of pain as he began to grovel in the floor

Sakura watched horrified.

"You can't go against me Susumu-kun. I implanted in your body a device that when I do a certain hand sign it'll activate and send out electric shocks throughout your body. They aren't enough to kill you unless they keep electrocuting you for a long time."

"Now, I'm going to give you a choice." He looked at the rosette girl. "You will have sex right now with Sakura-chan or...I'll kill you."

Susumu panted as he looked at Kabuto's sadistic smirk. His body was completely weak and in pain; sweat covered his body and he couldn't move. Another shock and he would surely die.

But...he couldn't hurt Sakura.

"I'm waiting Susumu-kun. And you know I'm not very patient."

"Kill me. But I won't hurt Sakura-chan. She's my Lilly's sister, and I'd rather die that ever hurt her." The young man replied.

"Well, it's a shame to lose such a strong and promising pawn such as yourself. But, I can always find someone to replace you."

Just as he was going to do his hand sign that was going to kill Susumu, he was suddenly interrupted when the door abruptly opened.

"Kabuto!" An impeccable voice called out.

He turned and saw Kakashi, Anko, Asuma and Kurenai but what cuaght his eyes's attention was the one beside Kakashi: Sasuke.

A grin appeared on his face. "So you came."

Sakura watched with eyes of shock at "Sasuke".

_He...he's here...?_

She couldn't believe it. Sasuke was here; to save her. He came to her.

"Kabuto. We brought Sasuke as planned now release Sakura." Kakashi demanded.

"Not so fast Kakashi-san. I want Sasuke to come first before I release the girl."

Kakashi gave Sasuke a nod and he walked towards Kabuto. The gin of success and victory he had was too obvious to be subtle.

But then suddenly, Kakashi cried: "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

"What?!" Kabuto cried with a loud grunt of pain to accompany it, as Kakashi's dogs bit him in his limbs. "What the hell is this about? Don't you care what happens to Sakura, Sasuke?"

"Yes I do." Then smoke appeared as revealed Sasuke's true form: Gai. "That's exactly why we didn't bring Sasuke here."

Sakura understood the plan easily but a fade grin of disappointment painted in her face. She wasn't disappointed that Sasuke hadn't come, but that she had believed he came. Though she no longer believed Sasuke was the horrible selfish person she had thought him to be and knows that he actually cares, a part of her wanted to see him _show_ her that.

"Anko! Kurenai!" Kakashi cried. At cue, the two female jounins threw their pair of kunais at Kabuto's arms which penetrated his muscle causing him to let out a cry of pain.

The dogs disappeared.

"Asuma!"

Quickly, Asuma appeared behind Kabuto with his brass kunckles around his throat. "One move and you'll lose your head." He said.

Kakashi quickly ran to Sakura. "Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?"

"I'm fine..." She said weakly.

The Copy-nin noticed the weak state she was in but what he noticed the most was the disappointed look she had. He comprehended that she got disillusioned when the Sasuke she though had come was a fake.

_I have to explain everything to her but not now._

He began to untie her.

Kabuto on the other hand, though his limbs appeared to be prevented from any movement he began to concentrate his chakra in his right arm. Sakura noticed it.

The amount of chakra he's concentrating in his hand could only mean one thing...

"Asuma-san mve back now!!" She cried with the strength she didn't know where she got from.

The jounin looked at Sakura but managed to notice Kabuto's hand almost rouse his leg and jumped back just in time.

"Damn. And I almost had you." Kabuto said.

"Sakura." Kakashi held Sakura in his arms as she began to pant heavily. "Don't talk anymore, alright?"

The Otokage looked at his opponents. "So, I have to fight 4 jounin, huh? This will be troublesome."

He smirked, "For you that is. Dont underestimate the Otokage of the Sound village. This little kunais won't stop me"

With a grunt, he pulled the kunais out making blood pour out He then prepared himself to do a hand sign until Susumu suddenly grabbed him from behind and turning he merged with him.

"What the hell?! What the fuck are you doing Susumu?!"

"What I should've done a long time ago." Susumu replied. "Quick! Do what ever it is you plan on doing!"

"Kakashi, do your raikiri." Gai said.

"But then the boy will-"

"Do it Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura whispered hoarsely. "Please..."

Sakura would never let someone innocent die but if she had asked him to do it is because she knew the boy and understood him. After all, he'd do anything for Sakura.

The silver-haired man prepared to do his hand signs while Kabuto desperately struggled to free himself from Susumu but it was futile.

"It's no use. I'm merged my skin with yours. This is a jutsu I created myself. I've merged my skin with your own but I've also gained control of your nervous system. There's no escape."

"You'll die, you know?" Kabuto added.

"I know."

Knowing that words weren't going to persuade him, Kabuto attempted to use his medical jutsus to free himself but it was all too late as he heard the dread chirp of a thousand birds.

"Raikiri!"

Without a second to spare, Kakahi's electrifying hand pierced through Kabuto's heart and opposite to Susumu. A pool of blood gushed out along with Kakashi's crimson hand.

Both ninjas coughed up a mouthful of blood making Kabuto fall on his face as the hit was fatal. Susumu lay upside up with blood still in his mouth.

"Sakura-chan..." Susumu called out softly.

The girl came to him, held by Kakashi. "Yes."

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan...for everything that's happened to you..."

"Don't be. You did nothing wrong." She replied.

A faded grin painted on his face as he closed his eyes and felt into that deep slumber from which he'd never wake up from.

_Susumu-kun, I hope you can be at peace now._

Suddenly losing her balance, she tumbled sideways but Kakashi managed to grab her in time. He picked her up bridal style.

"It's ok Kakashi-sensei, I can walk."

"Don't fool yourself. You can barely stand. You're lucky Kabuto didn't do much to you besides depriving you from food." He said.

"Now that we've retrieved Haruno-san, let's hurry back." Anko said.

"Yes, we can't afford meeting up with enemies." Kurenai added.

"ANBU must've taken care of them all so I don't think we should worry about that." Asuma replied.

"We're lucky Kabuto was as incompetent as he was, otherwise we'd have a lot of trouble. Even in the state he was and he still proved troublesome. If Sakura-chan hadn't warned Asuma when she did, something severe would've happened to him." Gai said as he looked at the corpse.

"That's correct. What he was going to do was cut the tendons in Asuma-san's leg severing his muscles as well; something excruciatingly painful and with irreparable damages. Luckily, this type of medic jutsu requires a peculiar amount of chakra which I was able to identify quickly." Sakura explained softly while still breathing heavily.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry for giving you false hopes by transforming as Sasuke." Gai added.

"It's ok. I know why you did it." She replied. Before she would've hidden her sadness; she would've still wished for Sasuke to have come to her, but now things were different. The person that had come to save her was Kakashi and for some reason a part of her rejoiced.

* * *

The five jounins rushed out of Sound thanks to ANBU's help. Sakura was still in Kakashi's arms; she felt drowsy probably due to the lack of food and chakra. In her case, chakra was essential for her energy. She didn't have that much stamina so having her chakra was what allowed her the energy to battle long.

However, even if she still felt the consequences of being Kabuto's prisoner, she was already putting that aside. Even the horrible revelation that he was the one who brutally murdered her parents was slowly being put behind her. She knew the truth and now Kabuto had paid. That's why she's feeling calm now.

But the real reason she's feeling so serene, is because she's in Kakashi's arms. She looked at him. From below, he had just a well-defined looking face, he looked so strong, reliable and most of all, it drew her in how he kept looking forward, prepared to protect her.

_Kakashi-sensei..._

She felt completely secure; whenever she was with him, she never doubted that anything will go wrong. She had complete faith in him and he had never failed her.

For a moment, she recalled the moment Kabuto began to touch her. She wanted someone to save her, but not just anyone. She wanted someone in specific. It was unconsciously wished, that's for sure. But that's the very thing that made her realize.

Her emerald eyes opened wide in shock as she know realized everything.

_When that happened, I didn't wish for Sasuke to come. _

_Despite what Kabuto had said about him, __despite the fact that my thoughts of him changed, I still didn't wish for him to come save me._

_I..._

_I wished for Kakashi-sensei.._.

_And a part of me knew that he was going to come._

_What is this feeling? _

_Is the same one I felt when I was with Sasuke but...there's something different about this one._

_I feel complete._

_Being with Kakashi-sensei makes me feel everything I want._

_It makes me complete._

_I..._

_I was afraid to feel this again._

_But now..._

_Now I'm not._

She clutched the fabric of Kakashi's vest; he quickly gave her his attention.

"What is it?"

"Kakashi-sensei...I knew you'd come save me."

Her pink bangs covered her face, not allowing Kakashi to take a good look at it or at her eyes. She was embarrassed for him to see how the blood had flushed to her face for the first time because of him.

"I already told you. I'd die before I fail you." Was all he said.

And that was all that Sakura wanted to hear at that moment. She wanted to hear exactly those words and he had said them.

_Kakashi-sensei...I think I love you._

* * *

Once they had all reached Konoha safely, Sakura was taken to a hospital. Food was injected through her by vein and she had some minor injuries in her body; all muscle related due to the time spent in the rocky floor and also because of the ropes that had damaged her wrists a bit.

The jounins assembled in Tsunade's office to give her the result of their mission.

"We killed Kabuto, Hokage-sama." Kakashi informed.

"Are you serious?" She asked surprised.

"Yes. I used my Raikiri to kill him by aiming at his heart." The Copy-nin added.

"I see. Well I'm glad your mission was successful and that Sakura is in no grave danger. You may all retreat now except Kakashi."

The remaining jounins departed from the room leaving Kakashi with the Godaime.

"I'm glad that whatever planned you devised worked and that you didn't let your emotions compel you." She said.

"Yes. I was aware of the dangers such a thing would've arisen."

"I know it must've been hard for you, but it all worked out. Now, I think we ought to tell Sasuke about this. He needs to know what is actually going on with Sakura at this point and we must know what he thinks about it. We cannot keep Sasuke and Sakura so close to each other or else, she'd definitely break down."

Kakashi understood Tsunade's conclusion since she is unaware that Sakura is already out of that emotional danger. He had promised Sakura he wasn't going to say anything to Tsunade until she had authorized him otherwise.

"Tsunade-sama, I think that's a very abrupt decision. I do agree that Sasuke must know of what Kabuto did but we shouldn't go as far as to put a restraining order to him."

"Why have you come to such a conclusion?" Tsunade inquired; she intertwined her fingers and rested her elbows on her desk. She fixed her bronze eyes at Kakashi's awaiting the response.

"When we reached Kabuto, I had Gai transform as Sasuke to fool him. When Gai transformed back, I noticed the disappointed face Sakura made. She was shocked to have seen Sasuke but since it really wasn't him she lost what little hope she had. However, in another circumstance she would've gotten depressed but when we rescued her, she showed no signs of sadness but rather that she was grateful we saved her." He explained.

"So can we say that she's recovered from her mental breakdown?"

"Yes. We can say that." _Killed two birds with a stone_.

"I'm glad." She let out a loud sigh; one of relief. "I'm very glad. I was very worried about her. Thank you, Kakashi. I'm certain you were the one who helped her."

"No need to thank me. I still would've done it even if you hadn't ordered me." He replied.

Tsunade studied the expression in Kakashi's eye, in voice and in his words. Kakashi was someone who wouldn't express his emotions so openly but this time, she was able to easily notice them.

And it comforted her.

"May I leave now Hokage-sama?" He asked.

"Yes." But before he left she called him. "Kakashi."

He turned. "Yes?"

"Don't let your age difference get in the way. Go for it."

Tsunade's words caught him by surprise. He looked at the grin she had in her face. Had she just given her approval for him to attempt having a relationship with Sakura? He had always been sensitive of the fact that there was a twelve year difference between her and him so even if he had told her he loved her; he was never going to go further than that.

"Hokage-sama, forgive me but, what are you saying?" He asked puzzled; perhaps he had heard wrong or she meant something else.

"I think you know what I'm saying. I can see your emotions are pure and honestly, no one has cared for her better than you. Sakura's still sensitive about love but I don't doubt she'll be able to love again. Sakura's like a daughter to me so don't worry about me not giving you my consent. I've already have." The blonde woman replied.

Still in shock, he didn't know what to respond to that. Was it because he was surprised Tsunade had given him her consent or was it because she had just told him that he's able to have a relationship with her?

Were Tsunade's words the one that he was waiting for to trigger his emotions to keep moving forward?

Had Tsunade lifted the heavy weight that prevented him from taking that step?

He wasn't sure.

"Are you sure about this, Tsunade-sama?"

She nodded, "I am. But stop wasting your time with me! Go see her in the hospital. I'm sure she's waiting for you."

Without a second to spare, Kakashi subtly rushed outside and headed straight for the hospital.

* * *

Meanwhile in the hospital, Naruto was visiting Sakura. He was sitting in a chair beside her and she was resting upwards.

"I'm glad that bastard of Kabuto didn't hurt you." He said.

"I was scared you know. I mean, imagine being with an insane person as him." She chuckled.

"I can imagine." Naruto smiled.

"Hey Sakura-chan..." His smile faded. "I...I really need to know."

"What is it?"

"Was..." He lowered his head and looked away. "Was Sasuke the one who hurt you?"

"Yes." She replied; her head lowered and her pink bangs covering her face. "He...he cheated on me."

"What?!" The blonde boy cried.

Sakura's silent was enough a response.

"That bastard! I swear I'm gong to kill him!!" He cried infuriated and quickly stood up. But was stopped as he felt Sakura grabbed his arm.

"Naruto please..." She shook her head.

"But...but you can't let him get away with that."

Again, she shook her head but said nothing this time. He placed his hand on top of hers.

"Sakura-chan, I don't understand. He hurt you. He...he has always been hurting you, making you cry. How can you let him get away with what he did to do?"

Sakura noticed how Naruto was trying with all his might to suppress his tears. She knew he was angry at him and truthfully, he had all the right to be. Besides, what he had just said wasn't far from the truth. Sasuke really was the only person to make her cry but then again, she always found a reason to forgive him.

She always searched for that reason.

Because she wanted to find a reason to forgive him

And even now, after what he did, she had found a reason to forgive him even when she hadn't even searched for one.

"Naruto...I understand what you're saying but...but I can't live my life resenting him. Even if what he did was wrong and really hurt me, I can't live my life poisoned by hatred. I...I have to forgive and forget." She rested her head on Naruto's hand. "I've forgive him because in the end, I know he didn't mean it. He...he was just searching for someone to satisfy his need; the need I didn't satisfy."

"Sakura-chan..."

"So please Naruto, please forgive him too. And forgive Ino as well."

"He cheated on you with Ino?!" The anger came again.

"Yes but please forgive them. What's done is done."

"Sakura-chan..." He couldn't believe what she was begging him to do. Any normal person would be filled with anger about it but not Sakura. Sakura wasn't normal.

She was special.

She was too special. And the way Sasuke took advantage of her innocence and pure heart only fueled his anger even more.

But she had asked him to forgive him, and he was going to do it. For Sakura, he'd do anything.

"Alright Sakura-chan. I'll forgive them. But if they hurt you again, I swear that next time I won't forgive them."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." Then, she hugged him.

A while later, Kakashi showed up and Naruto left the premises, leaving his sensei with his friend.

"How are you feeling Sakura?" He asked.

"Good thanks. I'm regaining my strength." She answered cheerfully.

"I'm glad." He smiled and sat down beside her.

For the first time, Sakura felt nervous to have Kakashi sitting next to her.

_God, don't act so self-conscious now. I mean, it's not the first time he has sat next to you. This is ridiculous._

"Sakura, when will you be out?" He asked.

"Oh-uh...probably tomorrow. No later than the afternoon." She answered.

Silence entered the room and surrounded the two ninjas both unaware of each other nervousness. Kakashi with what Tsunade had just said and wondering what to do, and Sakura with wondering what to say and how to act normal.

"Sakura, I'm sorry we fooled you with our fake Sasuke. I know it must've been disappointing to you. I'm sure you were hoping he'd come. But he reason he didn't came wasn't because he didn't want to, we just never told him about it. So right now, he doesn't know that you're even here."

"I see." She understood why Kakashi had said that. He wanted to assure her that he didn't come because of indifference but because of unawareness. "But it's ok. I don't think him indifferent towards me anymore."

"Why's that?" Kakashi asked bewildered.

"Kabuto said something that made me think. He was certain Sasuke loved me. I, of course, didn't believe him at first because of what he did but then Kabuto said that I didn't understand Sasuke. I thought I did but he was right. I didn't understand him."

She looked at her hands and began to play with her fingers.

"Kabuto said that Sasuke was someone who followed his strongest emotion because he believes that's the one that will satisfy him and if you think about it is true. His ambition was so strong, that Sasuke did everything he could to obtain power. And well..." She lowered her head with a fade grin. "He cheated on me because I couldn't satisfy his lust."

"I see..." He subtly clenched a fist. Sasuke really was the one who...who hurt her...

"So what I'm saying Kakashi-sensei, is that I've forgiven Sasuke for what he did. And I…I hope you can forgive him too."

He looked at her surprised at her petition. He had heard correctly? Was she forgiving the person who hurt her so horribly and in such a humiliating way?

"Ever since we were together, Sasuke always made me cry because of his comments or his indifference towards me. But in the end...I always searched for a reason to forgive him. I'd tell myself 'He just said that because I wasn't able to do anything.' or 'He's right, I should work harder' or something like that. So really...Kabuto's explanation is true and...and that's the reason I've found to forgive him again."

How?

How is it possible for someone like her to exist?

How can someone so pure exist in such a corrupted world?

Despite the way Sasuke was with her, she always forgave him and even now after what he did.

How can she suddenly forgive him when _he_ should be the one to _beg her_ forgiveness?

The innocence that shined in her eyes almost blinded him. He had never ever met someone with the kind of innocence as hers. Despite all the pain she went through, all that suffering that she had been caused, she still managed to put aside her hatred and resent and forgave. A mixture of emotions twirled around inside of him. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to have her for himself as he had wished for a long time.

"Kakashi-sensei, I know I disappointed you when I acted like a bloodthirsty person and I know I hurt you. I'm sorry that I almost got you and Naruto killed too. But...I waned to thank you for always being by my side and not giving up on me. If you hadn't been there then...I don't know what I would've done all this time. I've realized that you're my strength Kakashi-sensei and I wanted to thank you for that."

Not being able to contain himself any longer, Kakashi embraced her, surprising Sakura in the process.

"Ka-Kakashi-sensei!"

"Sakura...you don't have to thank me." He whispered. "I had vowed to be by your side forever. I love you Sakura. I love you more than anything in the world."

Sudden tears began to flow down Sakura's face as she reciprocated the hug. But this was the first time that she had done it with such intensity and Kakashi felt it.

"Kakashi-sensei...I knew you were going to save me from Kabuto. Even if I knew Sasuke cared for me, I wished for you to come. Kakashi-sensei, I..."

Feeling nervous, she swallowed. She had to say what she felt. She knew it was something sudden but the truth is that she had felt that for a long time. She just never noticed it.

"I..."

**I won't let you Sakura!**

Suddenly, her whole world turned blurry, then black and passed out right in Kakashi's arms.

"Sakura!" He cried as he shook her, trying to wake her up.

"Don't be alarmed Kakashi-sensei." The impeccable voice said.

"You..." The Copy-nin said with a tone of hostility and a glare to accompany his feeling of resent towards the person that was about to appear.

Sakura opened her eyes but her emerald eyes had turned dark and jade with an ominous grin.

"Been some time, ne?"

* * *

**A/N:** Just when things were getting good, that Inner Sakura shows up!! I'm sure you all want to punch her! I do to. hehe Well there wasn't much from Kabuto, I know. But he wasn't really that important. In any case, Inner Sakura will be delt with soon. I sure hope Sakura and Kakashi can have their moment, don't you? Well, please Read & Review!


	20. Chapter 20: Voice of the Heart

**N/A:** I know what you're all saying right now and I apologize. Senior year was hectic after spring break. I had tons of work and the free time I managed to get I wanted to use it doing other stuff. So really, I didn't felt like writting write during that time and all. But since I was going to leave for vacation until the 26th I decided to get up my lazy ass and finish this chap. I don't beta my chapters but I do reread them twice however I wanted to upload this as fast as possible so I haven't read it all after finishing it so I apologize for the many typos you guys might find.

Though I can tell you this, this chap will make up for all the time you guys had to wait. hehe

**Chapter 20: Voice of the Heart**

Kakashi glared at Inner Sakura's ominous grin. If she had shown up, it only meant trouble but not for him; for Sakura.

"What do you want?" He asked with hostility.

"I'm here to tell you that you have proved to be more of a nuisance that I had anticipated. Because of your meddling and sickening expressions of love, you've made Sakura change herself. And more importantly, she threw away what we had worked for." She said.

"The reason she threw it away, it was because she realized the trash you offered her wasn't what she wanted." Kakashi refuted.

Sakura snarled, "I'm not going to let things go that easily. So maybe Sakura is no longer fueled by hatred. It does ruin my original plans since, as I've told you, I grow through Sakura's negative feelings. But just because she's changed doesn't mean I'll go away."

Her dark smirk slowly appeared on her face.

"I'm going to settle my quarrel with Sakura. We'll get to the end of this."

"What exactly do you plan on doing?" Kakashi inquired.

"I'm not telling you." She answered arrogantly, fueling the silver-haired ninja's irritation. "All I'm going to say is that what we're going to do will settle everything. And believe me you won't want me to win. Not that I care what you want after all, seeing your face when I win is something I'm dying to witness."

She walked closer to him.

"Your face of utter defeat and pain when you see your precious Sakura gone from this world."

Kakashi's eye widened, alarmed. What exactly what she planning? She she going to kill her?

No. She couldn't. There's no way she's physically capable of killing Sakura. So, how can she make her dissapear?

"You brought this upon yourself, you know. You and your disgusting love towards Sakura. Because of your meddling, you ruined my original plans. So now, you'll have to suffer the consequences of interfering with me. And what better way to suffer than to see how Sakura will vanish from the faze of the Earth? You will no longer see her."

She walked closer as her voice began to turn into mortifying whispers.

"Hold her."

"Touch her..."

Kakashi's blood boiled from anger every second; every word.

ﾁgAnd the best part is that when that happens, whenever you look at me you will always remember how you miserably failed to protect her. As Sakura will not live in the void of darkness I lived, but she will cease to exist."

Kakashi jilted the hand that maliciously caressed his face and shot her a poisonous glare of hatred.

"Say what you like, but you won't succeed. Sakura is strongest than you imagine and her true strength always arises when she's in the danger of losing something she loves."

"Well then..." She grinned. "We shall see about that."

And she was gone, leaving Sakura in a deep slumber.

* * *

_Where am I?_

Sakura looked around the unfamiliar environment she as in. It was dark and black; there were no walls, no floors, nothing. It felt and looked like she was suspended in the air when her feet were really on solid ground. The place was like a dark void. Then, out of a black blanket, appeared a second Sakura but Sakura knew who this was.

"You." She glared.

Inner Sakura merely gave her a grin with her hardened jade eyes.

"How can we both be facing each other like this? Where are we?" Sakura demanded.

"This is just a place in your subconscious Sakura. I took advantage of your unconsciousness and appeared. It's nothing complex. Of course, before I couldn't do this but now that I have enough power, I can."

"You cut me off before I could finish talking to Kakashi-sensei."

"I know. I did it in purpose." Inner Sakura responded with indifference. "There's no way I was going to let you confess yourself. At least not now."

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she glared at her inner self. This was the first time she has come face-to-face with her. Before, she only sensed her presence and heard her voice but now, she was saying in front of her. The person who was truly responsible of the pain she went through.

She hated her.

"You're pissed at Kakashi-sensei because he was the one who made me realize the mistake I was making by listening to you and almost joining ANBU?"

"Yea."

"Why? Why are you so vexed that I don't want to kill anymore? That I now trust my friends again and...and that I realized I love Kakashi-sensei."

"Why you ask?" Her trademark smirk appeared in Inner Sakura's facae. "Guess at this point there's no use in hiding it anymore. I'll tell you my reason."

She fixed her jade eyes in Sakura's impatient ones. Like Sakura, this was the first time she was face-to-face with her. The only contact she had with Sakura was her voice and presence but she had never seen her.

"My goal...my only goal was to take you body."

"My body?" The rosette girl raised a quizzical eyebrow. "How?"

"Easy hun. See, I'm your dark side Sakura. I feed off your negative feeling. I grow by them. All of those feelings you've felt since you created me in your mind."

"But...but if you've always been there, how come we've never had contact until now?"

"Simple. Your feelings weren't strong enough to give me access to you. That is until..."

"...until Lilly, Ino and Sasuke betrayed me..." Sakura finished.

"Exactly. I took advantage of the pain, humiliation and resent you felt towards them and that made me materialize in your mind and thus be able to contact you."

Sakura felt disorientated. The shock her inner self's words had given her caused her to feel dizzy all of a sudden. She held her head with one hand attempting to stay focus. However her mind couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that she had created such a monster. A person that would've dared to take advantage of her suffering for her own selfish purposes.

Sakura knew she had thought of negative things throughout her life. She was no angel. However, she always forgot about them and never allowed herself to get driven by them. Now knew why those feelings never resurfaced in her. It was because Inner Sakura was eating them; feeding herself to one day emerge.

"You're horrible." She snarled.

"I am, aren't I? But remember that you are my creator so the only one who's to blame is you. After all, I'm the person that never got out of you; that person that wanted to get back at all those who gave you a hard time one way or another."

She was right.

Sakura remembered the time she was bullied. She wanted to get back at them for hurting her, but she never had the courage to do so. She just thought of it.

She felt a sudden ache in her chest and clutched the fabric of her shirt as she realized the venom-like truth of her inner self's words.

"Aw, you're hurting, aren't you?" Inner Sakura said with a cynical and hypocritical tone as she looked Sakura. Her head was lowered and her pink bangs covered her pained face. She gently placed her hand in Sakura's cheek.

"You know, you brought this upon yourself. You would've never had to know about this if you'd only kept listening to only me. But no…you had to get swayed away by Kakashi's idiotic feelings."

Sakura remained silent as her inner self leaned forward.

"And now…you'll pay the price for that." She whispered. "I can't wait to see the face Kakashi will make when he sees you gone. When he feels so worthless he couldn't protect you yet again tugh now that I think of it, he has always been worthless."

Slap.

Inner Sakura's cheek began to swell as Sakura shot her a death glare with her hand still up.

"I won't let you talk about Kakashi-sensei like that."

"Sensitive towards him I see." She placed her hand on her swollen cheek. "That's quite a slap."

Her tone of voice was sarcastic and defiant. The look in her jade eyes kept as indifferent and cold as ever.

"I have an idea Sakura, how about we settle this once and for all."

Sakura raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"You and I will engage in one last battle. A fight to the end; everything goes. The loser will have to pay with her life and essence. You lose, you'll disappear forever and I will take over your body. I lose, and I will disappear and you can keep your body and your pathetic sensei." The inner self raised an eyebrow. "What do you say?"

"Fine."

"Perfect. Then I suggest you find a way so we can meet like this again. I'll give you until the day after tomorrow. See you then…Sakura."

After giving Sakura her demonic grin, the same black blanket that made her inner self appear, engulfed her, leaving Sakura alone and pensive.

Finally opening her eyes, she found herself in a different room: the critical ward. Many different machines monitored her and she had an oxygen mask on; sleeping beside her was Kakashi.

She looked at him with tender eyes and softly placed her weak hand on top of his,

_I'm sorry for worrying you Kakashi-sensei. I can't let my inner self keep meddling in my life and ruining it. I will fight her and I'll make sure she goes away forever._

* * *

The next day, Sakura left the hospital. The night before helped her think and organize herself. She already knew what she had to do before her final confrontation with her dark side. The first step was to see Tsunade.

"Yes come in." Tsunade said while she looked at some papers.

Sakura entered.

"How are you feeling Sakura?" She asked when she saw her.

"Fine, thank you. Tsunade-sama, I have a favor to ask you."

"I'm listening." The Godaime said, putting her paper work aside. She instantly knew it was a serious matter judging from Sakura's tone of voice and the look she had in her eyes.

Sakura explained to her master the issue with Inner Sakura; nothing was bypassed. She began from how her inner self was created, to how she persuaded Sakura to believing her until she reached the latest points, which were her real intentions and her battle with her.

"I know this may seem hard to believe but please try Tsunade-sama."

"I do agree that this is hard to believe. I'm still shocked that you have a second persona inside of you. But what you said does make sense. It thoroughly explains everything that has been going on with you." She grinned. "Don't worry about me not believing you because I do."

"Thank you." Sakura said relieved. What would've made things worse was having Tsunade classify her as mentally incompetent.

"So what favor do you need from me?"

"As I told you, my inner asked and I will confront each other again. To be exact, tomorrow. She was able to reach me physically so to say, because I was in a deep state of unconsciousness. If I want to meet her like that again, I realized I have to be anesthetized."

"So you want me to gives you an anesthetic?"

"Yes. The strongest one we have."

For a moment, Tsunade analyzed the situation and Sakura's request; thinking of the pros and cons of everything. This wasn't a matter to be taken lightly nor a matter to make a rash decision. Everything had to be taken into account. The slightest mistake could prove fatal.

"Sakura. I understand that if your inner self wins, you'll lose your body and your whole essence will vanish. However, you must be aware that this is not your only enemy. Due to the strength of the anesthetic and its potency, it's possible for you to fall into a coma and maybe never awake from it again. Especially because of the strain your mind will receive." She fixed her bronze eyes with a solemn look. "Do you still want to do this?"

"I do." The rosette girl answered without a second thought.

"Very well. I'll be waiting for you in the hospital early in the morning."

Sakura bowed, "Thank you Tsunade-sama." And she left.

The moment she stepped outside of the Hokage tower, Sakura let out a loud sigh. As if a big weight was lifted from her shoulders.

_Well, that's one thing down. For a moment I thought Tsunade-sama wasn't going to help me._

She looked up. The sky was clear blue, clouds floated peacefully and the sun shined as bright as ever. The determination that flowed through Sakura's veins was so great that she looked at the apparent normal sky with different eyes. To others, what may seem ordinary, to her looked like a sign of rebirth.

_Now...it's time I face them._

* * *

The hospital was her next destination. Once she arrived, as she was reaching the entrance her body suddenly froze, signaling her to think about what she was about to do.

In just a few second, she was going to face her, She hadn't seen her since that fateful night. A part of her wanted to turn away and not remembered that moment that had trampled her heart and soul, but she knew she couldn't run away forever.

She had to face her.

She had to tell her or be forever hiding like a coward...just like them.

She asked the receptionist, "Miyabe-san, could you call Ino for me?"

"Certainly Haruno-san. One minute please." The nurse did a quick call and asked for blonde girl. "She'll be right here."

"Thank you." Sakura replied.

A few minuted later she arrived.

"Miyabe-san, who is-" Her words were cut off as soon as she saw the unforgettable rosette haired girl in front of her.

"Sa-Sakura?"

Ino's awed sky-blue eyes were fixed in Sakura's solemn emerald ones.

"Could we talk a walk?" The emerald eyes girl requested.

All Ino was able to do was give her a nod and follow her. Sakura walked in front while a troubled Ino walked a few inches behind. They stopped at a bridged; there was a lake under it.

Taking a deep breath before talking, Sakura turned towards Ino but recoiled a step when she saw inclining her head in front of her.

"I...I'm sorry Sakura..." She mumbled. "I'm so sorry for what happened."

Not knowing what to say, the pink kunoichi remained silence as the awe had taken away whatever words she had planned on saying.

"I...I know you'll never forgive me and I know that I hurt you horribly and abused of your trust...but you must believe me when I say that I am sorry." Ino's voice began to take a frantic tone. "I feel ashamed of what I did. So much that I couldn't even face you. But please...I didn't do it on purpose. Believe me when I say that I didn't take Sasuke-kun from you!"

Sakura stared at Ino's frantic face. She immediately was able to know that there was still one more thing she had yet to know. And now that she gave it some thought, the curiosity of knowing who seduced who compelled her.

Who was the real culprit?

"I'm listening..." Sakura finally said. "What happened?"

"Sasuke-kun was the one who seduced me. I wasn't even trying to take him from you. He came to one me one night. My night shift had already ended when I was about to head home and I found Sasuke outside." The blonde girl began explaining.

"_Sasuke-kun!" Ino said surprised as her cheeks became rosy from his mere presence. "What a surprise but if you're here for Sakura, she isn't. Her shift ended long ago."_

"_I know. I'm not here for Sakura." Sasuke stoically replied._

_Bewildered, Ino was about to ask when suddenly she felt the pressure of Sasuke's lips hungrily claim hers. _

_Shocked at first, Ino quickly pushed him away. "Wha-what are you doing?!" She placed her hand on her mouth._

_He remained silent._

"_You're Sakura's boyfriend! How could you have kissed me like that? Are you feeling ok?" Sudden anguish compelled her. She wished to think he was deluded though a small hidden part of her wanted to taste his lips once more._

"_I'm feeling perfectly fine." The Uchiha said. "Because I've found what I've been deprived of."_

_Again, he forced himself on Ino, forcefully kissing her. His tongue forced itself inside Ino's mouth touching hers and exploring the crevice. _

_Everything happened so suddenly, Ino felt disorientated but it didn't take her long to realize what was going on. But understanding it was another story._

"_Sa...Sasuke...kun..." She tried to talk. "Wha...what are you..."_

_Sasuke's lips began to trail down her neck; her licked her until he reached her collarbone. The whole feeling was complete bliss to Ino though she wouldn't have liked to admit it. _

_How long had she dreamed of having Sasuke plant kisses through her whole body as he was doing right now? _

_The pleasure Ino felt as her skin and body reacted to Sasuke's lustful advances, caused her let out a soft moan. But that stab of guilt reached her and she reluctantly pushed herself away from the man she most desired._

"_I'm sorry but...I...I can't do this to Sakura. You're her boyfriend and I'm her best friend. I can't betray her like that and...and you shouldn't..." She said as she looked away._

"_Sakura doesn't have to find out." He merely replied with a dry tone. "Sakura won't give me what I really need right now. Only you can. Like I said, she won't have to know."_

"And that's how it all started." Ino concluded her story. "Sakura, know that I didn't want to at first but...but my feelings for Sasuke-kun got the better of me. You don't know how much I desired him even after you were together with him. But I always held my feelings for you. At that moment, it was like I completely exploded and I was too late for me."

Sakura attentively watched as her former friend looked away. The shame in her face was noticeable. She hadn't even looked at Sakura straight in the eyes once.

"Sasuke-kun seduced me. He said only I could give him what you couldn't. At first I didn't understand but soon after I found out. I felt that if I didn't help him, Sasuke was going to lose it; like he was also going to explode. I know I'm justifying myself but it's the truth…I'm not asking you to forgive me but rather to believe me…"

Sakura turned, knowing that being in front of her only made Ino even more uncomfortable. The blonde kunoichi looked up as she saw Sakura's back. She wondered what kind of face she had or what her eyes said. Was she sad? Was she angry?

Her hands began to tremble. The shaky feeling covered her whole body. She knew that what she did was wrong but a part of her also knew it wasn't her fault. Even if she had desired Sasuke, she never thought of taking him away from Sakura. Sasuke was the one who came to her; he was the one who seduced her.

But no matter how she put it, she was the idiot who fell for it.

¨What you did can´t be justified.¨ Sakura finally spoke. ¨However, I can somewhat understand it¨

She turned; a fade grin painted on her face.

¨Your feelings towards Sasuke were too great to be controlled. Maybe I could´ve succumb as well if I were you. Still, you´re human and we all make mistakes. And we learn from them too. Though…in an ironic was I thank you for appeasing Sasuke´s lust. I don´t know what would´ve happened if he kept that desire bottled up inside. You´re right…he could´ve broken apart.¨

¨Sakura…¨

Each word was like a stab to Ino. Though Sakura´s grin showed how free from hatred she was, it also gave away a melancholic feeling. Perhaps it was melancholic because the one who saved Sasuke from breaking apart wasn´t her but her best friend. After all, how could she forget how much Sakura tried to help Sasuke with his lost and shattered soul? And yet, despite all of her selflessness, she wasn´t able to help Sasuke from his crushing and cornering lust.

Just listening to Sakura´s words and looking at her faded sad grin was suffocating for Ino.

It was heartbreaking.

She felt worthless.

But all the same, she knew that´s not what Sakura wanted to project at that moment nor did she wanted Ino to feel inferior.

¨Sakura I…¨

¨I don´t want you to feel sorry for me. I´m alright now. The past belong in the past; right now, we´re no longer friends. But…slowly, we can regain that friendship. I want to Ino.¨

Sakura extended her hand and looked at Ino with sincere eyes. Right now, what Sakura wanted to do was to start over; to suck all that poison she had inside.

Ino extended her hand as well until both held the others.

¨Thank you Sakura…¨ Ino said with a breaking voice accompanied by tears.

¨Stop crying…Ino pig.¨ Sakura replied jockingly.

The blonde girl couldn´t help but let out a small giggle. ¨Sakura…if you want to see Sasuke-kun, you´ll find him in his apartment. After what happened, he barely goes out now. In truth, he´s very depressed but you know him, he won´t show it so he stays locked in his room.¨

¨Alright, thanks.¨

¨Good luck, billboard brow.¨

The rosette girl answered with a grin before leaving. At that moment, Ino realized that she had reached that gap Guilt wouldn't let her reach. She had crossed over the bridge that lead towards Sakura a bridge she thought was broken forever.

Sakura had forgiven her and now, they were going to start their friendship from zero.

* * *

Lying on his bed, Sasuke stared at the roof. His onyx eyes appeared indifferent, stoic; emotionless. But in truth, that was all a façade. He had lost his sense of life. He was dead while being alive and the reason was because he knew he was losing Sakura.

Looking at the Team 7 photo, his mind recalled all those moments Sakrua had been by his side. She had been the first person to have ever truly loved him and in such a selfless way too. She had been the one that mended his shattered heart.

Unconsciously, he had grown to love her.

_And how did I repay her? By sabotaging her dreams and illusions. I hurt her…again…_

The image of her angelic face shinning with tears appeared.

_She has always cried because of me…_

This time, an image of her beautiful smile showed up. That smile that was enough to make him think everything was going to be alright; to make him forget about his painful past.

_Her smile…_

_I wish I could see it again but after what I did…I doubt she´ll ever smile at me again._

While still lost in thought, he heard a knock on the door.

He groaned, _I don´t feel like seeing anyone._ But his mind quickly changed as he heard that impeccable voice talk through the wooden door.

¨Sasuke…? It…it´s me, Sakura.¨

At first, he thought he was deluded. He had wanted to see her or even hear her all this time that he thought he had even gone to the point of imagining her voice. But when she called for him a second time, he was proven the contrary.

She was really there. Just behind that wooden door.

¨Guess he isn´t here…or he´s just sleeping…¨ Sakura was just about to leave when she heard the creaking sound of the opening door; though silence was the one who welcomed her in, she saw a solemn Sasuke in front of her looking at her with lifeless onyx eyes.

Without a word, Sasuke turned and got lost in the shadows of his dark house. Not knowing what to do, Sakura just stood there.

¨You can come in, you know.¨ The raven haired boy finally said.

Sakura entered. Closing the door behind her, she looked around the apartment. Nothing had changed but for some reason, it felt different. Sasuke was never a person to put decorations and things like that to him, that was just a waste of time especially if you´re someone that barely stays at home. Still, his apartment always gave a feeling one way or another. This time, the feeling it gave was one of sorrow; dullness.

Everything looked dull and lifeless. The lights were dim, practically dark. The furniture was dusty and there were some dirty dishes in the sink.

But what worried her wasn´t the state the household was in, but the state its owner was in. The moment she had seen Sasuke, she thought it was someone else. Since little, he had always given off a rather gray aura. But now, it was worse.

It had no color.

If any, what Sakura saw was a zombie.

"You can sit down if you want." Sasuke commented, however his back was still facing the pink-haired kunoichi.

Sakura silently complied and sat on the small couch. The silence that overwhelmed the atmosphere became denser by the second; able to easily suffocate anyone.

Sakura played with her hands in nervousness.

_I thought this was going to be less difficult since I talked with Ino. But really…it's even worse…_

Sasuke clenched his fists, frustrated.

_She came all this way to talk…and I don't know what to say to her._

The kunoichi looked at Sasuke. His back was still facing her; strangely enough, she couldn't help but make a fade grin. Any ordinary person would feel discouraged by Sasuke's quiet action and stoic demeanor. But Sakura was able to read the truth from it.

She knew that he didn't face her because he didn't want to. He didn't face her because he couldn't.

The silence that would distance others, only made Sakura understand more. She could hear what his silence said to her. She could hear that small voice that softly tried to reached out to her.

"It's ok Sasuke you don't have to worry about what to say."

Sakura's words caught Sasuke by surprise, making him turn his head towards her as an automatic response.

"I can understand how difficult this must be to you. I mean, I'm having a hard time as well. Still, the reason I came to you was because I wanted to say that I have forgiven you for what you did."

The boy's onyx eyes widened. _Did she just say that?_

"I won't deny it. When I saw you and Ino, I felt many horrible things. I felt angry, worthless, and ugly; I hated you and Ino. I loathed you both. Your betrayal Sasuke…only broke my heart into tiny pieces. I'm sure you must've heard what happened to me and what I did." She obliquely looked at him. At contact, he looked away.

"But…" Sakura looked away from him. "After a while, I realized that living my life hating you and killing to vent my hatred wasn't going to make me happy. It wasn't going to help me and shunning myself from everyone to avoid getting hurt, only ended up hurting me even more. But to tell you the truth, my turning point was when Kakashi-sensei and Naruto almost died because of me."

Sasuke turned to her. He could see how recalling such a moment affected her. He didn't know what had happened, though he was going to know soon, but he could tell that it was a heavy weight she carried. Sakura had always been the kind of girl that could feel guilty for everything that happened to those close to her and that she always carries that weight with her; and sometimes that weight isn't even her own.

"I have a second persona inside of me."

_A second persona?_

"She's my inner self; I unconsciously created her when I was little. During the time I got bullied. As time passed, that inner self began to feed of my negative feelings making her grow. When you and Ino betrayed me…that was the trigger to fully make my inner self complete. The hatred I felt towards you two was what made my inner self whole. Before I knew it, she had become a separate voice; a separate person." Sakura continued. "My inner self took advantage of my feelings and depression to reach me. She began to talk to me. I was so hurt that I became afraid of suffering again. She told me to only trust myself and no one else; that way I won't get hurt again."

"…I listened. At first I was rather reluctant but the more reluctant I was, the more my inner self began to use her words to persuade me otherwise. Before I knew it, I had begun to obey her voice. I don't know if you're aware of it but I retook mission for the sole purpose to join ANBU."

"I know." The Uchiha responded. "Kakashi told me."

"I see…" The Haruno girl commented with a faded grin. She could only imagine what kinds of things went through Kakashi's mind at that time. Was he angry? Was he sad? Was he disappointed in her?

"Well...I'm certain that you don't know my reason for wanting to join ANBU. You see, my inner self said that killing was my escape to vent all the anger I had inside of me but couldn't express." Sakura resumed. "She said that joining ANBU was the solution. And so…I became a bloodthirsty person. At first, I felt horrible but slowly, I started to become indifferent. Or at least, I tried to fool myself that I was indifferent."

During this whole revelation, Sasuke had been struggling with his own sentiments and his lack of words. He wanted to say something to her; to comfort her. He had never been good with words but, somehow he could sometimes say the right words at the right time.

But now, the moment when Sakura needs those words the most, he's speechless. But more than speechless, he felt afraid.

Fear: sentiment that he had known a handful of times throughout his life. His life wasn't in danger. Why should he be afraid? Of course, if he said the wrong words…he'll only end up crushing Sakura. To his eyes, the girl in front of him looked strong yet fragile; on the verge of falling apart. He feared that just touching her would make break. That if he said something wrong, he'll scar her for life and this time he knew that if he did, there would be no way for her to recover.

This uselessness he felt was vexing and more than vexing it was irritating.

"During a mission with Kakashi-sensei, that same indifference almost cost him his life and soon after, I wasn't able to save Naruto's life because I was no longer part of the medic team." She tightened the grip she had in her hands. "I felt useless; worthless. I felt that my stupid hatred was going to make Naruto die because of me. I wanted to die at that moment. I felt that my life had no value if it meant Naruto's death. And not just anyone's as well."

_No. Don't say that. _

"Honestly, I don't know what would've happened to me if Kakashi-sensei hadn't been there at that time."

_Kakashi?_ Sasuke noticed a faded glimpse of what appeared to be a sudden shine in her eyes as she mentioned his name.

"Kakashi-sensei really stood by me and thanks to him I was able to get out of that dark pit I had fallen in."

_I see…_Sasuke felt a stab of pain along with a lump in his throat.

"I just wanted you to know one of the reasons why I decided to forgive you Sasuke. The other reason is that I took in account your character. Sasuke…" She stood up and walked towards him.

As she walked, Sasuke felt his heart beat speed up. Why was he feeling so nervous? It's not the first time she has walked towards him. Sakura softly placed her hand on his face; as a strange reflex, Sasuke flinched.

Her hand…even after all she had been through it was still as soft as when he had returned to her.

"I know you didn't cheat on me on purpose to hurt me. The lust you felt for me was so great, you though that appeasing it was going to make you feel complete inside. That you will feel whole. When I didn't have sex with you, you searched in someone else what I couldn't satisfy. Because of what Itachi did to you and how you lost everything you love, you desperately cling to whatever you feel the strongest fearing that if you let go of it, you'll lose everything."

Sasuke's raven-colored bangs covered his lowered face. He didn't want to look at Sakura's eyes; at her big emerald eyes that he knew the kind of look they were giving him. And in front of them, he felt powerless. This was something that he came to realize not long ago actually.

His lips mumbled, "How…?"

"Hm?"

"How…how is it that you are the one doing all the talking when it should be me…?" The shame he felt was too overwhelming to hide. His pride had been hurt. Not in the sense that Sakura should be the one to be blamed by his turmoil, but in the sense that someone like him who understands the pain of betrayal so well he betrayed someone he loved and in the end, he's incapable of saying one word of apology.

"Sasuke…you had already said everything the moment you opened that door." Sakura replied.

He looked at her bewildered. As far as he knew, he hadn't said anything until she had already reached the living room. How could she say that he had said everything on that moment?

"Though you didn't say anything, I could hear you. I could hear your remorse in your silence." She said with a melancholy that shined in her eyes. "I know this because you've always been like that. Ever since you were little, you were always quiet. I didn't know what your silence said back then, but I got the feeling that it was saying something. And even now, it still is."

_Sakura…you always understood me? Even when I didn't even pay attention to you or even looked at you?_

His onyx eyes were fixed in Sakura's emerald ones. They've always had a sincere look in them; ever since back then. They never lied and they were always so full of kindness. Before, he would deny it but now it's impossible: he liked that kindness of hers. He wanted her to show him that kindness.

He needed it.

It was what had soothed him from the pain of being alone and losing the only woman that had loved him: his mother. Sakura's selflessness was what had begun to put the shattered pieces of his heart together again.

He feared losing her.

"Sakura…" He lowered his head. "Have I lost you?"

The kunoichi immediately knew what Sasuke meant. "I know what you're referring to and in that sense…yes…you have."

"I see." He simply replied still maintaining his cool demeanor. _I see…so I truly lost her. And I think I know to whom._ "You love Kakashi, don't you?"

"Yes I do." She replied without a second of hesitation. "You see, I realized not long ago that ever since we started on Team 7, Kakashi-sensei had been the one to always be there for me. All this years, he's been watching over me, noticing me, protecting me and caring for me. In fact, in the mission we had together he almost died saving my life. He has proven to me numerous times that he would give his own life for my own. And so…I realized that I've always loved him."

_I see…_A faded grin was painted on Sasuke's face. Many emotions struck him at the same time; sadness, frustration, jealousy, but most of all contentment; contentment because Sakura had found the person that will make her truly happy. He had wanted to be Sakura's happiness and he did it for the time being, but he knew perfectly that he wasn't going to reach the level Kakashi could.

She was right. He had been there the most for her; even more than Naruto himself.

However, she deserved it. After all she had offered not only him but to Naruto as well, she deserved someone that could make her happy and fill her with the love she hadn't received from either of them.

Kakashi was just the person.

"However…" Sakura continued. "Our friendship still isn't lost. Even if I love Kakashi-sensei, I still love you as a friend. I'd like for us to regain our friendship again; to start over. Please…"

The raven-haired boy remained silent for a few seconds before answering. He lifted his head and said, "If that's the only way I can be close to you, then let's. It's the least I can do after all…"

He reached out his hand towards Sakura. Instead, he was caught in an embrace from Sakura's part leaving him a bit startled at first.

"I hope you can find happiness too…Sasuke-kun."

The moment she added the unforgettable male suffix to his name, as she used to, he felt a small joy inside of him. When she addressed him with only his name, he got surprised. Ever sine they were small, she had always called him 'Sasuke-kun'. So when she didn't, it clearly implied that she had cut his ties with him.

Now that she has gone back as she was before, it reassured him that their relationship has been recovered.

He's paying for his mistake by having lost Sakura's heart, but at least he hadn't still lost her kindness or her friendship. As long as she was by his side showing him that kindness to him, he'd accept any conditions.

That was all that mattered.

* * *

Finally, Sakura's emotional quarrel with Sasuke and Ino came to an end. Alas, she could feel the peace inside her. She no longer had that heavy weight on her shoulders; those ugly feelings of resent, hatred and fear had begun to subside.

She felt anew; refreshed. And more importantly, she was going to start her relationship with both over again.

She sat in her small dining table with a cup of tea on her hands, though all she was just staring at it.

_The reason I went to them was because I didn't want to have any regrets before my fight with her. One of us will win; the loser will have to pay with her existence. _

_I don't know if I'll win. _

_She's very strong. There's no point in training either. She's my reflection so she knows has all of my attacks and knows all of my strategies. It's like fighting you own reflection in a mirror. I just have to fight will all I have and defeat her. _

_However…there's one more thing I want to do before tomorrow. _

Meanwhile, Kakashi was in his living room reading his Icha Icha Paradise book. Jiraiya had just published a new one and he had just gotten it today.

_What a shame…_ Kakashi thought as he went to the next chapter. _I wonder if he'll decide to come back to her._

Just then, his moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Who is it?" _This late an hour…_

"It's me, Sakura."

Surprised for a moment, he opened the door. "Sakura? What brings you here?"

"Can I come in for a while?" She asked with a faded sheepish tone.

"Of course." Kakashi answered though a bit bewildered by the whole situation. For some reason, the atmosphere was one he felt estranged to. He had noticed the shy tone Sakura had asked and it wasn't normal for the many times she had come to his house. Even if he was suspicious that something was up, he didn't press the matter for he knew that eventually he was going to know.

Sakura sat down on his couch.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked which he shook her head as a reply.

He sat beside her. She remained silent.

"Is something wrong Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

She shook her head once again.

"Kakashi-sensei…" She mumbled. He looked at her attentively while she was looking away. "I talked to Ino and Sasuke-kun."

_What? _The silver-haired man's eyes widened.

"I talked to Ino first and then to Sasuke-kun. Ino said that Sasuke-kun had seduced her. She didn't want to be with him for my sake but her feelings for him were too strong. In the end, she felt ashamed. But we fixed things and we're going to start over again. Sasuke well…he didn't say much but I was able to hear what he had to say through his silence. We also came to good terms and we're going to start over."

"Does he still love you?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, he does. But, he came to understood that I no longer have feelings for him."

"What?" Kakashi exclaimed though in truth he was thinking out loud and for that he cursed himself, unaware that Sakura had done the same.

"As you hear it, I no longer have feelings for Sasuke-kun." _This was stupid of me…I just practically confessed that now I was in love with him. Or…maybe not…either way I should've just stayed quiet._

_She doesn't have feelings for Sasuke anymore? Then, does she love someone else? _Those questions caused a tornado of emotions to whirl inside of Kakashi, making him more anxious to find answers.

He wanted to ask that las question.

His blood boiled with the desire to know.

Some things are better not known, but in this case not knowing is worse.

"Do you love someone else know?" He finally summoned the courage to ask.

The question caught Sakura off-guard. She, of course, knew the answer to the question but was rather hesitant to answer it. Not for fear, but nervousness though it was strange that she felt no fear. Before, that would've been the feeling. Fear of falling into the same trick again but that Sakura had died.

She no longer feared love.

She swallowed softly, "Y-yes. I do."

The rosette girl looked at Kakashi with her shining emerald eyes. Her cheeks flushed with a even more rosy color due to the blood that began to flush to them.

"He's someone that has become very special to me; I realized it not long ago. He has always been there for me and honestly, I don't know what I'd do without him."

She leaned closer to him.

"Kakashi-sensei…you're the one I love."

The words rang in his ears. For a moment he was startled; not knowing how to react. He had always wanted to hear those words from her, but not that he has it's as if his whole body froze; as if time had suddenly stopped for him.

Was it a dream?

Was he imagining it?

He had loved Sakura since he could remember knowing her; and his wish to be by her side forever and not just as her sensei, was his only wish.

Though obviously, he had already mentally prepared himself to never hear those words. He knew the pain Sakura went through and came to think that she'd never be willing to love again. Now that she had come to love him as well, he felt his heart skip a beat and even rejoice.

"But…how? I mean…when we were in the hospital with Naruto you were afraid of me." He asked. Though joyful, he was still puzzled.

"Like I said, it wasn't long ago. I just gave it a lot of thought and I came to realize that between you and Sasuke-kun, you are more important in my life. I mean, Sasuke-kun is very important too I'm not saying he isn't but…if suddenly you were to disappear out of my life…I…I don't think I'll be able to go on living."

Sakura held her hands together. The mere thought of losing Kakashi gave her chills and even more, it caused great fear and pain in her. She knew her life would have no meaning without him.

"When you almost died on that mission, I was so afraid of losing you. That's when I started to give it a lot of thought. Why was I so afraid? Why were you so important to me? At first, I was scared that I was falling in love with you so I began to deny it. But then, when you came to rescue me from Kabuto…that's when I realized that I did love you."

She looked at him with those sincere emerald orbs that would draw Kakashi in. Besides her personality, he adored those glowing gems of hers that were so full of life and feelings.

"I wanted you to save me and knowing that you did, only made me realize my feelings even more. I could no longer deny it…for I was no longer scared. The kindness you've shown me Kakashi-sensei is one I've never experienced before. No one has treated me the way you have. You've always been there for me, in the good and bad. When I've needed someone the most, it was you who was by my side. I…I feel like with you…everything would be alright."

As she confessed, she studied Kakashi's face; so mysterious, cool and calm…and yet, so kind and gentle and warm. Just imagining his strong big hands caress her face, made her flesh warm and her heart flutter.

"I…I just can't conceive my life without you Kakashi-sensei. I just can't. I…I love you too much."

Not being able to contain himself any longer, Kakashi went towards her and claimed Sakura's lips, startling her. Before, Sakura would've jolted in fear and ran away. But it was different now. Now…she was doing something that only caused her bliss.

"I…I'm sorry Sakura. I shouldn't have been so forward…" The silver-haired man said as he backed away.

"Don't say that…" Sakura whispered as she placed her hand on his cheek. Her hand trailed his face and began to touch his mask. Realizing what she was about to do, she recoil her hand. But instead, Kakashi only took it and with it, he began to slowly take his famous mask on.

The more it was off, the more of his mysterious face Sakura saw. Her eyes shined with a curiosity that Kakashi thought was very cute and innocent. Once his face was revealed, Kakashi threw the mask away. His face was so handsome; just as she had imagined it. She could only just stare at it in awe.

"You are the first to see my face and honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way." He said softly.

His soft tender voice made Sakura's flesh warm. She felt her blood flush throughout her body, aching for him. She loved his voice; that soothing voice that had comforted her so many times.

They claimed each other's lips as they exchanged sweet kisses. Kakashi's hand caressed Sakura's smooth face. How long he had wanted to do that, to feel her tender face with his hands and to taste her sweet lips. Sakura hadn't kissed anyone besides Sasuke, normally someone might feel weird by kissing someone else. But in her case, it couldn't have felt more right to be kissing Kakashi.

She put her arms around his neck as their kisses began to intensify. But Kakashi suddenly pushed himself away.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura, I think you know where this might go. I think we better stop before we do something we could regret."

"There's nothing to regret Kakashi-sensei." She replied.

"Are you sure you want to do this Sakura? I can wait for you; if I have to wait years from now, I will. I just want you to be ready. This is something that should be done only if both people want it. Otherwise, it loses its meaning."

_Even now, he's thinking of m_e. His concern moved her, and only set her mind even more. She could only look at him with tender eyes.

"Don't worry about me Kakashi-sensei. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't be here."

Taking her in his arms bridal-style, Kakashi took Sakura to his room and gently placed her in his bed. Throughout that whole trajectory, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Emerald and onyx, fixed.

"I'll ask you again, are you sure?"

"You ask too much Kakashi-sensei." Sakura replied and that was the last thing they both said. As they were mesmerized by each others presence, touch, taste and the feelings they have come to cherish towards the other.

Time had stopped for them.

Now all that mattered was that moment as their wishes and happiness were going to come true. Nothing was going to make it wrong; not Inner Sakura, or the battle between them.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing….

**A/N:** Well, I hope I satisfied you guys with this chapter. I planned on doing the whole last scene but since I didn't have time I just left it here. Next chap will have more details. Though I'll say this now, I don't really want to right strong lemons. It will have lemons but I'm not fond of writting graphic sex scenes. In any case, I hope you guys enjoyed this very decisive chapter in Sakura's life.

I want to clear something up as well, Sakura forgave Sasuke and Ino not because she's so nice that she will carry other people's bad actions in her shoulders but that she realized that it was ruining her life and that living hating them wasn't healthy. She knew the consequences it was going to bring and she'd rather just forgive and forget than to lose everything that mattered to her.

Well, please Read & Review!! Thank you!!


	21. Chapter 21: Death's Smirk

**A/N: **Sorry for having taking like forever to update. I know my last updated was on the summer but I started collage (university) and honestly, I barely had any time for myself. What little time I had I didn't want to use it on writting. I bascially lost motivation to write at all since I"ve been stressed or just extremly exhausted. But I could only imagine how much you all wanted to read the new chap so I found the motivation to write chap 21. Honestly, I'm not too all excited about this one. I don't feel like I gave it my all but in all sincerity, I just had to write something for you guys.

Please excuse the typos, the shortness and if it dissapointed you in any way. I promise next chap will be better!

* * *

**Chapter 21:** Death's Smirk

Once upon a time, there was a man who cherished one of his students, a young girl. The girl began to grow in the man's mind and heart. All he wanted for was to make her happy to keep her smile on her face. He enjoyed watching her strive to be her best; he wanted to help her be her best and for her to become a great shinobi as he knew she had potential. But more importantly, she was able to fill the empty space in his heart. Little did the man know that he was soon going to fall in love with that girl.

There once was a girl, who studied the art of the ninjas but her main reason was to be near the boy she liked. Lucky for her, she was in the same team as him and her love for him grew. However, after many hardships, pain, suffering, and disappointments, she noticed that there had always been a man by her side, supporting her, watching her and protecting her. Though it took her a while she realized: her heart had always longed for that man.

* * *

Gently looking at her in the eyes, Kakashi stroked Sakura's rosette hair as he planted soft kisses over her face; on her forehead, on both her cheeks, on her nose, until his lips finally reached her tasteful mouth. Sakura threw her arms around him and gave in to the man's claim over her lips.

Strongly but gently, his tongue made entrance in Sakura's mouth. Both muscles began to play around as each savored the other's crevices; making sure to explore each and every corner.

His hand slowly trailed her body, moving upward; slowly removing her pieces of clothing. Though the night was cold, as she lost another piece of her clothing, she felt no chill. Her bare skin didn't react to the cold; instead all she felt inside was an immense heat.

Kakashi was no stranger to this either as he too felt the heat consuming his body. He removed his top and shirtless, hovered over Sakura. His eyes fixed over the celestial beauty in front of him, trailing her petite, defined and smooth body.

He studied how Sakura's emerald eyes shined with such intensity as they were locked in his; her short rosette hair spread over the pillow like the pink petals of a Sakura tree.

Closing his eyes, Kakashi became entranced by the sweet scent that Sakura's body emitted. Her hair smelled of sweet strawberry, her skin had fresh scent all over it. He rested his head between Sakura's breasts, feeling the smoothness they provided.

He kissed them gently.

Letting out a soft moan, Sakura gave in to the blissful sensation and tightened her embrace.

"Sakura..." He whispered softly, as he nuzzled his face in Sakura's pink mane.

She hugged him tightly; pressing him against her heated body.

"I love you Kakashi-sensei...I'll always love you..."

* * *

Dawn shined on the horizon, as the darkness slowly disappeared. Straining her eyes, open Sakura awoke. She turned her head around and looked at the sleeping Kakashi next to her.

Smiling, she gave him a tender look.

_I've never seen Kakashi-sensei asleep before. He looks so peaceful. So...tender and gentle...just like he is with me..._

_Who would've thought that this man, my teacher, would be the person I would give my self to? The person that I would love?_

She caressed the silver bangs that covered his handsome face and softly, planted a kiss on his lips.

"I love you Kakashi-sensei." She whispered.

She got up from bed, and quietly got dressed; making sure to not wake Kakashi up.

Tip-toeing to the door, she turned and took a last look at the man.

"Thank you for everything."

And with that said, she closed the door and left the household. It was still early in the morning. She had agreed to meet Tsunade at the hospital before noon.

_Good. Looks like I'll make it in time. I was worried I'd lost track of time and overslept. _

Arriving at the hospital, Sakura entered from the back. She had to avoid any kind of questioning from those who knew her.

Tsunade was waiting for her.

"You're on time." she greeted the kunoichi.

Sakura nodded, "As always."

Tsunade grinned. "Let's not waste any more time"

Trying to evade loss of time, both women hurriedly walked across the hallway.

"The room is already prepared for you. A medic will is preparing the anesthesia as we speak." Tsuande commented.

"Thank you Tsunade-sama."

It didn't take them long to arrive to the room. The room chosen was very far from the rest of the other normal rooms. The machines were already on; some nurses were verifying if they functioned properly. The anesthesia was already brought in placed in the tray that was beside the bed.

Sakura lay down and positioned herself.

"Sakura, I know you have to do this which is why I haven't hindered your cause but I'm not comfortable with this. You better come back alive or else, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." The Godaime said.

"I wish I could promise it Tsunade-sama but even I don't know what the outcome will be." She grinned. "That's why I've made sure to not have any regrets in my heart in case I don't come back but I can promise you that I will give it my all."

Tsunade placed her hand in Sakura's and looked at her with melancholic eyes. She could clearly see Sakura's determination and she admitted that this was something Sakura needed to do. Nevertheless, she still feared that she might lose Sakura; she feared that if she let go of her hand, it will be the last time she'll ever see her.

It frightened her; the uncertain odds.

If any, the odds that Sakura would come back are 50 out of 50. However, this was a situation were not even the most obvious odds were certain.

And Sakura knew that as well.

_Despite that, she still decided to face it head-on. She has a strength I've never seen before._

Reluctantly, Tsunade turned to leave the room. But she stopped before going through the door.

"You must come back Sakura. Or else you know the sad faces I will have to keep seeing." She looked at her with a melancholic grin.

Sakura grinned in return and nodded.

After that, the Godaime closed the door behind her.

* * *

The nurse took the anesthesia and injected it in Sakura's arms. Slowly, her eyelids started to become heavy. Her blinking became slower and slower until they opened no more.

Sinking deeper into her unconsciousness, she was no longer able to hear anything from the outside; not the nurses talking, nor the beeping sound of the machines functioning.

Engulfed in the abyss of her mind, she stood still awaiting the arrival of her inner self.

_This is it. There's no turning back now._

She closed her eyes and tightened her fist.

_I have to do this. I have to defeat her or else, I'll never be at peace. I've made sure to have no regrets in case I die._

Then, out of the black oblivion came out Inner Sakura. She walked towards Sakura with her malicious smirk and hardened jade eyes.

"So you came." she said.

"Of course. I keep my promises." Sakura replied.

Inner Sakura chuckled, "Isn't that nice? Well, it doesn't matter after all I've always been in a win-win situation."

Sakura sensed something odd from that comment.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, you'll probably find out soon enough."

Sakura glared at her inner self. She obviously was aware of something. From the moment Inner Sakura appeared she was able to sense an aura of over-confidence. The worst mistake a shinobi can make is to go into a battlefield without any knowledge of the enemy.

She realized that she had just made that mistake.

_I don't know what she has up her sleeve but there's obviously something I missed. I probably just walked right into my own death._

"What's the matter Sakura? You look worried." Inner Sakura patronized.

Inner Sakura probably has the odds in her favor, but I'll find a way to turn things around.

"I suggest you worry about yourself because if you believe you will take possession of my body so easily, you're sadly mistaking. Let's start this already. I want to get done with it."

She positioned herself in her fighting stance.

"I agree. I'm just dying to get a hold of your body permanently."

Inner Sakura also braced herself.

Emerald and jade; locked in each other. Thoughts flooding each other's minds; desires engulfing their hearts; one smirked, while the other frowned.

Finally ending the battle of glares, Inner Sakura charged with all her might towards Sakura.

_She's fast._ Sakura admitted.

Inner Sakura threw a powerful fist towards her, but Sakura managed to block it with her opposite arm. Not wasting a second, Inner Sakura switched to her other hand as offense and directed her punch to Sakura's stomach.

Able to quickly see the movement, Sakura jumped backwards and avoided the blow.

"Not bad Sakura. You're obviously good at detecting your enemy's movements. I just hope for your sake that you can keep up." Inner Sakura complimented with a patronizing tone.

Bracing herself, Sakura stood in her fighting stance and began to concentrate her chakra on her fists and legs.

_If she's me, I need to be as cunning as ever. _

She charged towards her enemy and smashed her first right on the floor. However, instead of a rumbling sound of the ground leveling what was heard was the shattering sound of glass breaking.

_What?_ Sakura questioned bewildered.

"Did you honestly expect this place be made out of solid ground? This is your mind Sakura and the glass under you represents it." Inner Sakura pointed at her. "Your mind is like glass; that's something you can never change."

With wide opened eyes and gape, Sakura looked at her feet.

_Glass? I'm standing…on…on glass…? _

"No…my mind isn't glass. I've worked hard to become a stronger woman; a stronger shinobi. My mind used to be made of glass but not anymore and I won't let you confuse me!"

Inner Sakura smirked, "Confuse you? Why would I? It's pretty clear. If things were as you claimed them to be, then explain why the ground below us is pure glass."

That comeback caught Sakura off-guard. "I…I…."

"Well?"

"I….I don't need to explain anything to you. I know what you're trying to do. You're taking a psychological approach on me but I won't let you. I don't care what this ground is made of, I will kill you!"

"Do as you wish but let me at least warm you that you don't want to break any more of the glass under you. Each time you do it, it causes strain to your body outside. I'm sure that know the nurses are frantic monitoring you."

"What happens if I shatter it all?" Sakura inquired.

"Who knows, but it won't be pleasant. You could easily fall into a coma and then, what good will you body be to me? So please, try and be gentle." Inner Sakura grinned maliciously.

There it was again; that smirk, that grin. A grin that once more said that she there is something she hasn't been made privy off. It annoyed Sakura but more than annoying her, it gave her a sense of frustration.

But she wasn't going to let those feelings overwhelm her.

_I swear I'll kill her._

And with a deadly glare she gave the official declaration of war.

* * *

Putting on his usual navy-blue shirt and his ninja pants, Kakashi got dressed as quickly as possible.

_Sakura wasn't here when I woke up. She must've probably left or something, but why would she leave without letting me now? Not a letter or anything…something is definitely up._

He grabbed a piece of toast and slurped a glass of milk for breakfast before leaving his apartment. The first place he went to look for Sakura was her apartment.

He stepped into her balcony and looked inside. Her bedroom was dark but he was able to notice that it was untouched. All her things were in place and it didn't look like she was there. Deciding to take a different approach, he knocked on her door.

No one answered. There wasn't even a sound, nothing to give him the certainty that there was someone inside.

_She definitely isn't here. So where to now?_

Thinking of all possible places Sakura could be during the tome of day, Kakashi concluded she'd probably be either in Tsunade's office or in the hospital. Choosing the former to go to first, he hurried.

Looking at a report, Tsunade strained her eyes and let out a groan of frustration.

"I can't concentrate!" _Not while knowing that at this moment Sakura is fighting that inner self of hers. Did she finish? Did she win? Or…did she…_

Just then, Kakashi rashly entered.

"Hokage-sama!"

She turned her attention towards him. "Coming in without knocking? That means something is worrying you Kakashi. What is it?"

"What's Sakura doing at the hospital?" He asked in a demanding but most of all alarming tone.

"What do you think? She's busy tending an operation right now." Tsunade lied but in a casual manner. Anyone else would've been fooled.

"Don't lie to me Tsunade-sama. Ino just told me that she's off doing something on her own. Obviously not an operation as Ino said herself that it had something to do with her personally." The Copy-nin replied.

_That Ino…_ The Godaime groaned. "Well, I might as well tell you since you already have a vague idea. Sakura is fighting her Inner self as we speak."

"What…? But that can't…"

"It's possible." Tsunade interrupted the startled Kakashi. "According to Sakura, last time she talked with her they were able to see each other meaning that they actually had a physical conversation face to face."

"But…how is that possible?" Asked a bewildered Kakashi.

"Sakura says that because last time she was unconscious, they were both able to meet." Intertwining her fingers together, Tsunade let out a loud sigh. "During their conversation, Inner Sakura proposed a duel between them. Sakura agreed to it and she came to me for help. We prepared a room a special anesthesia for her since she needs to be in total unconsciousness in order to meet with her inner self."

"She's fighting her?"

"As we speak." I don't think I should tell him the conditions the loser will have to face.

Kakashi semblance turned to a worried one as he tightened his fist.

"Take me to her please."

"I'm sorry Kakashi I can't. Sakura needs concentration right now." Tsunade objected.

"I need to be by her side right now. Please try to understand Tsunade-sama." Kakashi pleaded.

"Kakashi, I understand you're worried but you try to understand Sakura's position. She's right now in a fight where her life basically depends on her victory. If she were to sense your presence it could distract her."

She sighed and said with a reluctant tone, "Before coming to me today, Sakura made sure that she was ready both in mind and heart. She told me that she made sure to not have any regrets. Apparently she already reconciled with both Ino and Sasuke. But…I wonder if something happened between the two of you?"

Tsunade's bronze eyes studied Kakashi's open-wide onyx eye. She had hit the bull's-eye.

"Something did happened, right?"

The man's silence was a sufficient answer. She could see the inner turmoil within him. His face was puzzled; his eyes were disorientated; his fists were as tight as can be showing his frustration.

_Is that why she was with me last night? Did she do it to not have regretted it if…if she were to…_

"Tsunade-sama…" Kakashi finally spoke. "If Sakura loses…will she really die?"

The blonde woman closed her eyes.

"In a sense yes. If Sakura were to lose against her inner self, she will no longer exist for Inner Sakura will take permanent possession of her body." She spoke out bluntly.

Kakashi lowered his gaze. _Sakura…why…why didn't you say anything? Why can't you still trust me enough?_

Tsunade noticed Kakashi's expression. This time it wasn't a worried expression. It was an expression of pain, sadness.

The Hokage let out a loud sigh of defeat. She definitely couldn't compete with Kakashi on this one. Kakashi was a person to not openly show his feelings of pain and sadness. Seeing him express those very feelings in front of her really pained her.

_He really does love her._ "Very well Kakashi, I'll take you to Sakura."

* * *

Sakura groaned.

Inner Sakura snared.

Both kunoichis clashed in the heated battle

Sakura performed a taijutsu combination. She did a series of different punches and jabs all which Inner Sakura managed to block. While her inner self defended her upper body, Sakura quickly changed her offense to her legs. With her chakra concentrated on her leg, she turned, and did a spin kick hitting Inner Sakura on her chest.

Inner Sakura glared as she blocked some of the impact which sent her flying to the opposite side. She quickly recovered from the impact but Sakura was already in front of her.

With Sakura's fists concentred with chakra, she began to perform a different series of attacks; combining hand offense with leg offense.

As Sakura did a high kick, Inner Sakura dodged by jumping sideways but Sakura took advantage of her enemies opening and threw a kunai.

Reacting immediately, Inner Sakura concentrated her chakra on her legs and did a back flip, kicking the kunai out of its course.

Charging at her inner self, Sakura cries a warrior-like yell and prepared to punch Inner Sakura but she saw it a mile away and simply clutched her hand right before impact on her face.

"You're losing your composure Sakura. This was a rather reckless attack, don't you think?" Inner Sakura commented.

Sakura strained as she tried to break free.

"I suggest you try and don't let your emotions get the best of you. That has after all been one of your biggest flaws." The jade-eyed girl added, fueling Sakura's anger.

Sakura growled and in one last attempt to free herself she decided to use her free hand to land a punch on her abdomen. Inner Sakura prepared to block it.

_I got you._ Sakura recoil her punch and switched to her knee.

But before she even had a chance to get close to her objective, Sakura's whole body was twisted, thrown over Inner Sakura and laid down flat on the ground.

Sakura felt her inner persona's shadow hovering over her as she strained her body from the impact.

"See what I mean? That's what happens when you get driven by emotions. That's your biggest flaw Sakura." Inner Sakura added.

Standing up, Sakura snared at the other, "That's what you believe. Because you think that everyone should be like you; a cold-hearted person who only lives to kill."

"No not everyone; just you." Inner Sakura bluntly replied.

Shooting a death glare at her inner self, Sakura tightened her fists as she gritted her teeth. She felt her blood boil as she listened to Inner Sakura's words.

She hated her.

She _loathed_ her.

And that loath only increased her desire to kill her; to wipe her away from existence.

"I'm sensing a killing aura from you. Aren't you the one who doesn't like to kill? What happened to that pure heart of yours?" Inner Sakura said with a mocking smile.

"There are times when a shinobi must make decision and choose whether to follow their duty as a Konoha shinobi or their duty to themselves. I've made my decision to kill you because that is my duty as a Konoha shinobi! To protect Konoha, especially the people I love from the likes of you!" Sakura replied.

Inner Sakura scoffed, annoyed. She didn't like the determination that shined from Sakura's emerald eyes. Most of all, she hated that there wasn't even the slightest hint of wavering from Sakura's part. It showed her inner strength.

_Annoying bitch._ She smirked. _No matter. I still have the upper hand in this._ "That's quite a speech Sakura. Let's just see if you can carry it out."

* * *

Right in front of the door where Sakura was, Tsunade stopped and looked at Kakashi for a moment.

"Kakashi, as you know Sakura is going through a tough ordeal. She must need absolute concentration. Promise me you won't do anything that would disturb her. That will include talking, whispering, or even touching her."

The silver-haired man looked straight into the Godaime's firm bronze eyes.

"I promise."

Tsunade opened the door and both she and Kakashi entered.

The room was rather big for just one bed. Sakura's body was covered in a blanket. She had the oxygen mask on and on her right hand she had the serum.

Machines beeped around her; one measures her heart rate and heart pressure, another one monitored her blood pressure, among other ones.

"How is she?" Tsunade asked the nurse.

"She's stable now." She replied.

"Now?" Tsunade inquired with an alarmed tone.

"Yes. A while ago, she had a series of high blood pressure, and her heart rate and pressure was at exorbitant levels. Luckily, she became stable shortly." The nurse answered. "We've been keeping a closer eye on her just in case."

The Hokage nodded but said nothing about the matter. Instead, she closely watched as Kakashi slowly walked towards Sakura's side.

He silently watched the sleeping beauty in front of him; struggling with his urge to hold her hand; to have her in his arms.

_Why didn't you tell me anything Sakura? Even if I couldn't do anything, at least I could've given you the comfort of being here by your side, waiting for you to wake up._

"We must have faith in Sakura, Kakashi." Tsunade commented as she stood beside him. "This was Sakura's decision and we must have faith that she will prevail. This is about the only thing we can do for her right now."

He nodded. A faint smile slowly painted on his face. "I've always had faith in her."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Sakura's sub consciousness, Sakura and Inner Sakura were faced in a heated battle to the death. Metals clang; the sound of blows being inflicted thundered; grunts and snares joined in along with the war cries.

Repelled by each others attack, Sakura and Inner Sakura jumped backwards as the blow made them slide through the ground.

_I don't understand._ Sakura panted. _If we're supposed to be the same, then why am I the only one panting and she hasn't even broken a sweat?_

A smirk appeared on Inner Sakura's face. "So you finally noticed?"

Sakura gave her a puzzled look in return. "What are you talking about?"

"That despite we're one and the same, I have the upper hand."

Narrowing her emerald eyes, Sakura said, "You're not making sense. How can you have the upper hand if like you say, we're the same?"

"Because I'm your inner self."

Sakura scoffed annoyed. Though she knew Inner Sakura was straight-forward, she hated how she always answered in that manner just to annoy her.

"Alright, alright." Inner Sakura chuckled. "I'll answer you fully. It's quite simple really. Ever heard how people with dark souls are usually the ones that get stronger? Well, I'm one of those people."

"I don't understand."

"Basically, I'm your dark side Sakura; I grow by feeing off your negative feelings; the deepest and darkest sentiments from your heart. In other words, the darkness in me is what gives me my strength. Unlike you where your strength comes from your pathetic feelings of love, kindness and friendship…my strength comes from hate and revenge."

"That doesn't make any sense…hate can't make you stronger. If any, it'll make you weaker. If you're power comes from the feeling of hate and revenge then you only live for yourself. I became strong because of the people around me." Sakura differed.

"So what? If that were true you wouldn't have snapped the way you did when Lilly, Ino and Sasuke betrayed you."

Sakura flinched at her inner self's sudden remark.

"If that were true, your mind wouldn't be symbolized by glass."

"Shut up…"

"If that were true, you would've defeated me long ago by now."

"Enough…shut up…" She sobbed.

"If that were true…"

"I said shut up!" Sakura screamed along with a cry.

Inner Sakura watched with a grin, "…then…why did you cry just now?"

Sakura's eyes looked into Inner Sakura's jade ones. She saw how the coldness in them matched the evil grin of her inner self. Slowly, the image became blurry as tears began to well in her eyes.

"See what I mean? How can you possibly have strength when your heart is bound by those kinds of feelings? They will only keep you from your maximum potential whereas, I am bound by nothing."

Inner Sakura walked towards her other self.

"I can't belief though that you haven't realized this. After all…you experienced the truth of my words a long time ago."

Sakura's expression became bewildered.

Moving towards her ear, Inner Sakura whispered, "Sasuke."

At that instant, Sakura eyes widened.

"Sasuke's life was fueled by hatred and revenge. He went to Orochimaru to find the power he needed and you know how it ended. Sasuke killed Orochimary by himself. If he had stayed here, do you honestly belief he would've gotten that strong? His heart was bounded by nothing other than his feeling of hatred and that is what allowed him to prevail."

She grabbed Sakura by the cheeks and forced her to look at her straight in the face. Teary emerald met hardened jade.

"So you see Sakura…I am twice as strong as you. Or even more. When you accepted my challenge to a duel, you walked into your own death. There is absolutely no way for you to kill me."

Lifting her off the ground, Inner Sakura threw Sakura towards her left. With a loud grunt, Sakura hit the glassy ground.

_What the-? How could she had lift me and thrown me like that? It's…it's not possible… _

Shocked, gaped and disorientated, Sakura looked at her inner self. She stood firm, strong. She had just thrown her with one hand; effortlessly.

But what gave her a sense of fear was how her eyes sparkled with morbid enjoyment at the assured victory she had over her and how they spelled the word 'death'.

Now she understood what that feeling before was; the feeling that she had missed something.

She knows now what it was and recalled what Inner Sakura had said before beginning.

"_I've always been in a win-win situation."_

"I won't hold back anymore." Inner Sakura's tone changed. "You'll experience first hand what darkness can give you. The same power you rejected and that could've been yours and believe me, I will take great pleasure in killing you."

Before Sakura could even come to her senses, the figure of Inner Sakura suddenly vanished in the midst of the darkness that dwelled within her mind.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sorry the fighting scenes were done so poorly. But I do hope it was at least rather interesting. I tried hard to make Inner Sakura a tough and evil foe. I also hope the KakaSaku scene was done nicely. I tried my best in doing so. And all in all...I just hope you guys like it. I don't know when next one will be up so please, just be patience and look foward to it. Only around 2-3 chaps more before Redemption is over.

Please Read & Review!


	22. Chapter 22: Breaking Free

**A/N: After a year, I now give you all an update! I really had to struggle with this chapter but honestly, I didn't want to give you guys something mediocre. Especially since this is practically the climax of the story. It wouldn't feel right. So yea, I really hope you all enjoy this chapter and that it was worth the wait. Much love to you all and your patience!**

* * *

**Chapter 22:** Breaking Free

_Before Sakura could even come to her senses, the figure of Inner Sakura suddenly vanished in the midst of the darkness that dwelled within her mind._

Desperately looking throughout her surroundings, Sakura attempted to make out where her inner self will appear to but the effort was futile as Inner Sakura quickly reappeared from her right landing a solid punch on Sakura's cheek.

The impact caused Sakura's body to slide through the ground. She quickly did a back flip to recover her stance but Inner Sakura had disappeared from where she stood, suddenly reappearing behind her.

She heard Inner Sakura's chuckle from behind her ear, making Sakura flinch with her eyes wide opened in shock.

"You realize it, don't you? I can sense your fear." She chuckled.

Sakura was about to turn but before she could ever turn her body a quarter of a degree, her body was already flying towards the opposite side as Inner Sakura did a high spin kick.

With a large thump and a grunt, Sakura's body landed. Groaning in pain, the kunoichi tried to lift her body off the ground whereas Inner Sakura stood, arms crossed, enjoying it.

"I'm not going to give up." Sakura snared.

Inner Sakura shrugged, "Not that I care."

Without hesitation, Sakura charged at her inner self. She threw a punch at Inner Sakura; Inner Sakura dodged it. She then, tried to land a high kick on Sakura but Sakura blocked it with her arms, which, in turn, made her slide backwards as she stood her ground.

Once she regained her balance, Sakura charged once more towards Inner Sakura but this time, she jumped high up and landed a hard kick on the ground which Inner Sakura dodged. The grounded shattered once more. But Sakura didn't pay attention to it like last time, instead she ran at Inner Sakura with a chakra-filled fist ready.

Deciding to go all out, Sakura began a series of punches all which Inner Sakura either dodged or blocked. But what angered Sakura the most was the patronizing smirk in Inner Sakura's face.

Inner Sakura punched away her arm right before impact, making Sakura grunt in pain. Taking advantage of that, Inner Sakura landed a solid fist in Sakura's jaw and then with her left arm she did an uppercut. Both impacts left Sakura disorientated as she groaned in pain.

"This is one fight you can't win Sakura. You haven't landed a single punch on me whereas I almost broke your arm." Inner Sakura said.

_She's right. If I hadn't used some of my chakra in time to ease the impact, my arm would've been as good as broken._ Feeling a bitter taste inside her mouth, Sakura spat blood.

Nevertheless, she refused to surrender. She hadn't agreed to this to lose. She was going to win. She was going to end this nightmare. She wanted to put a finish to this crusade and finally be at peace with Kakashi.

Standing in her fighting stance, Sakura whipped away the blood that was left in her mouth. "I know you use your words as a weapon. But I won't listen to you. I won't fall for your tricks."

Inner Sakura chuckled with a scoff, "I don't care. Either way, sooner or later, you'll realize how futile this all is to you."

Both kunoichis braced themselves as another wave of intense fighting made way.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Kakashi and Tsunade stood by Sakura's bed as they monitored her status; the nurse had taken a break under Tsunade's orders.

They watched Sakura closely, seeing if any strange reaction occurred. The machines' beeping had a rather irregular pattern. It would go haywire for a moment, and the next it would return to normal. It was hard to predict when it will start again.

Kakashi attentively watched her; his sleeping beauty. Even now, she looked like an angelic being. With her sleeping face so at peace at the moment it was hard to tell that she was going through an ordeal. He knew he couldn't do anything for her, but he only wished he could at least hold her hand. Let her know that he was there, by her side, supporting her as always.

He was about to stretch his hand towards hers but recoiled. If he made any contact with her, she could feel it and it could distract her. He had to contain himself no matter what; for her.

_Sakura, I believe in you. You must also believe in yourself and that you can win. _

Tsunade sporadically studied Kakashi's mannerisms and reactions. In a way she wanted to make sure he wouldn't let his emotions jeopardize Sakura but at the same time, she was worried seeing Sakura in the state she was right now would prove too painful for him. Even if she had never been close to him in the past, she still knew of Kakashi's loses and how empty he became. Sakura had managed to fill the void she had believed was too deep to ever be filled.

It was heartbreaking.

"Kakashi, do you still want to stay here with her?" She asked although she already knew what the answer was.

"Of course. I want to be here when she opens her eyes." He replied without hesitation.

"I know you want to Kakashi, but can your heart take anymore of this?" She gave him a saddened look. Ever since they entered the room, she could feel the pain in his heart and his fears.

The Copy-nin remained quiet for a few seconds. The question had been unexpected and he hadn't thought about it. Or perhaps, he had felt it but chose to ignore it. That was it. He was ignoring the pain in his heart.

"I'll make sure I can take it. I haven't been able to do much for Sakura. The only thing I can do is be here when she wakes up. If I can't even do that simple thing, then I'm not worth having her love." He replied with a forced smile. He tried to remember when had been the last time he had forced a smile. In fact, he had even forgotten that they hurt.

Tsunade sighed, "Alright. But don't push yourself too much Kakashi. I'd hate for you to also become heartbroken. Don't overestimate your limits."

* * *

Battered like a rag doll, Sakura lay on the floor panting and groaning in pain whereas Inner Sakura stood right beside her, looking down on her. With a smirk that hadn't left her face ever since the battle had started, Inner Sakura grabbed her original self by her rosette hair.

Sakura grunted as she felt her hair being pulled. It was so hard and it hurt so much that she thought it was going to be pulled right out from the roots.

"Look at you!" Inner Sakura said after a hardy and loud laugh. "If you could only see how pathetic you look." Her hardened jade eyes trailed Sakura's bruised body. Without any remorse, she landed a solid punch right in Sakura's cheekbone making her be freed from Inner Sakura's grasp but adding yet another painful injury to her already battered body.

Landing with a loud grunt of pain, Sakura tried to move but even the slightest muscle move would cause her body to emit electric shocks from the inside. As she felt one of them electrocute her body, a loud cry escaped her mouth.

Inner Sakura laughed in pleasure and enjoyment. What others would think as an ear bleeding noise, she saw it as a sweet melody. "That's it! Cry! Cry from pain until you have no more voice. I want to enjoy this moment when I slowly kill you."

Hastily walking, Inner Sakura came towards the kunoichi and kicked her, sending her rolling on the floor, as she groveled in pain. She, once more, walked towards Sakura with the intention of repeating the excruciating cycle.

Back in the hospital, the machine suddenly went haywire. The beeping sounds kept going berserk. Tsunade quickly began to look at what was wrong to take the measure in stabilizing Sakura's body. Kakashi watched the frustrating sounds go louder and louder. His eyes drifted from Sakura's panting and sweating body, to the machines and back again.

But this time something was different. Sakura's body began to convulse.

"Tsunade-sama!" Kakashi alerted the Godaime.

"Dammit!" She groaned in reply. There were too many things going on at the same time. Her blood pressure was rising through the roofs along with her heart rate. Her breathing was heavy and irregular and to make matters worse, her brain signals were also stressed which could cause her to fall into a coma.

Running to where Sakura's convulsing body was, Tsunade quickly took a stabilizer and injected it to her body. Slowly, her body began to return to its normal state along with the machines that monitored her.

As Kakashi stood attentive to Sakura's state, watching how it stabilized, he too stabilized as well. The nervousness the whole episode had caused was slowly subsiding. But it didn't make him any more at ease.

_I'm worried._ Tsunade watched her apprentice's body. _This is the first time she has convulsed. Convulsing is usually a nervous reaction in the brain. I have a bad feeling that something isn't going right inside of her._

Little did Tsunade know that her words were speaking the truth.

Although the stabilizer helped Sakura's outer body, the body of the Sakura who fought was far from being alright. Blood came out of her mouth, her body was covered in nasty bruises, her left cheek was swollen, and her right eye was covered in blood as well. Unable to even attempt to stand up, she was left as a doll on the ground; like a lump.

_I…I can't move…_

With her blurry vision, she watched as Inner Sakura approached her prepared to continue the torment. Suddenly, an immense fear overwhelmed her.

_No more. Please, no more…_

She had lost count of how many times her inner self tortured her. All she knew was that the pain was excruciating.

_Please…_

Inner Sakura came closer and the closer she came, the more fear Sakura felt. Despite the pain of the broken bones in her body, she still felt how it trembled. Her inner self had proven far too powerful for her to even match.

Then, she felt the liquid of the tears that welled in her eyes.

_Kakashi…help me…_

* * *

It hadn't been an hour when Tsunade became alarmed once more on Sakura's condition.

"What…?" She said with a bewildered look in her face. She looked at the machines but this time instead of having gone berserk, it was the complete opposite: they were slowing down.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked. He too had noticed that something wasn't right with the machines. Their beeping sounds were decreasing; especially the one that measures her heart beats.

Tsunade didn't reply to the Copy-nin's question but kept analyzing what could be going awry. However, as the second passed, the sounds only kept decreasing and sounding even slower.

_No, no, no…! This can't be happening! _

"Is she dying Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked worriedly.

The Hokage lay back on the chair, with a defeated look on her face. She covered her face with her hands and leaned forward. "There's nothing I can do for her. The problem is inside not outside. I'm afraid that she's…" A lump formed on her throat, making her voice break.

Kakashi clenched his fist as he heard Tsunade's words. Sakura was dying right in front of him, and there wasn't anything that could be done. He knew she was losing the battle. And just imagining losing his Sakura was like a stab on his heart. He felt it continuously penetrating his heart over and over again throughout this whole ordeal. He had wanted to ignore it, but not anymore.

It was too painful to ignore it now.

_I don't want to lose you…_

He felt his chest compress; his heart sink like a ship on the bottom of the ocean. On his throat, there was a knot that couldn't even be swallowed away.

_Don't die…_

Just as when all hoped seemed to be lost in an abyss, something hit Kakashi's mind.

It was like a dim light that the more he thought about, the slightly brighter it would become.

_I have to try it._

He didn't even know if it would word; if it would even be a good idea. In fact, it frightened him that everything would fail and his hopes would end up crushing him and not only him but everyone that was involved as well. But at this moment, he was willing to do anything to save Sakura.

Without a word, he ran out of the room leaving a puzzled Tsunade.

* * *

Tsunade sat on a chair right beside Sakura. Her heart rate was becoming slower to the point that in one minute you could count the times it measured it. She feared the worse.

_Please Sakura, you can't lose your will to live._

She would never forgive herself if Sakura died. But just as all hope seemed lost, she heard Kakashi enter the room.

"Kakashi?"

"I hope we're not too late." He said. Behind him stood Naruto, Neji, Hinata, Ino and even Sasuke.

Tsunade looked at him with widened eyes full of surprise. "Why did you bring them here?"

"Tsunade-baa-chan! How could you not tell us what Sakura-chan was doing?" Naruto demanded as he crossed his arms.

"Because she asked me to keep it a secret. Besides, I didn't want her to get distracted. Even if she's under anesthesia, she is still vulnerable to anything that happens to her body on the outside." The Godaime answered as she shot a look at Kakashi to which he scratched the back of his head with his usual smile.

Although she couldn't really complain with him right now, she was still rather upset that he had gone over his orders. _Sheesh Kakashi…_

But she grinned a grin of defeat. How could she go against all of them now?

"You're the one who tattled first Ino." Tsunade said as she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama but I just couldn't leave Sakura alone." The blonde girl responded. "I knows she needs Kakashi-sensei most of all."

"How is she right now Tsunade-sama?" Neji asked.

"Not very good." Tsunade answered bluntly, shaking her head. "Her heartbeat is getting slower by the second. It's as if…she's…" But she just couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead, she closed her eyes as she clenched her fist, frustrated at her own uselessness.

Ino looked at the monitor screen. Tsunade was right. "Is there anything we can give her?"

"No." Tsunade shook her head once more. "The problem is what her body is going through on the inside of her mind. The outside is just a reflection. But if she dies in her mind, she will also die here."

Everyone's expression turned into a somber one. The atmosphere changed. It felt so heavy it was as if the atmosphere itself could literally rest on their shoulders.

"But there has to be something we can do. Otherwise, Kakashi-sensei wouldn't have brought us here." Hinata added, trying to think about what exactly they could do. From the looks of out, nothing could be done. But she was confident that there had to be something. Anything.

Just then, a single long screeching noise was heard. A long beep that came from the machine that monitored her weak heart.

"Tsunade-sama! She's gone into cardiac arrest!" Ino cried.

"Stand back!" Tsunade pushed everyone from around Sakura. Placing her hands on top of Sakura's chest, she attempted to resuscitate her.

Once.

Nothing.

_Come on, come on…._

Twice.

Nothing.

_Come on Sakura please. Don't do this to me. Don't make me do it._

Everyone stood watching, alarmed, worried and all fearing the worst. Tsunade gritted her teeth; sweat covering her forehead, cursing out loud.

Thrice.

Finally, the monitor's sound returned to beep though it was still steady and abnormally slow. But at least, Sakura was out of danger.

A loud sigh escaped everyone's mouth.

"Tsunade-sama. She might not survive another one." Ino whispered into the Godaime's ear.

"I know. I know…" Right now, Sakura was living off borrowed time and sheer will. But the events that had occurred proved that her will to continue was fading away.

* * *

Pain.

Excruciating pain.

In fact, it was more accurate to say that the pain was so overwhelming that her body no longer felt anything nor did her face show any form of expression.

Tears streamed down her face. But cries didn't escape her anymore.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't feel her limbs.

Nothing.

She was just a lifeless lump on the ground.

A rag doll.

"Is this it? What happened to your vow to kill me? Is this the extent of your nauseating power of love and friendship?" Inner Sakura said.

No response.

"Heh. Pathetic." Inner Sakura smirked. She looked at the battered Sakura with a victorious grin, as if she was some kind of inferior being. Yes. She was satisfied. She had accomplished what she wanted.

She had proven to her original self that darkness can prevail.

Friendship. Love. Bonds. They were all pathetic, useless things that only make people weak. It turns them into cowards. It makes them unable to think about themselves.

Greed. Anger. Loathing. Hatred. Revenge. Death. All are powerful feelings. They can turn someone's heart pitch black dark. But they can also make someone stronger. Feelings that bind to no one; feelings that severe all that is a bond. The only bond you have is to yourself. Those who embrace those feelings are the ones that prevail.

Darkness never cowers.

"This power could've been yours Sakura. But you rejected it." Inner Sakura grabbed Sakura's pink, ruffled hair and pulled her; forcing Sakura's injured body to look straight into her hardened jade eyes. "And now you will die by it."

Not even a wimp escaped her as she felt her hair almost be pulled by the roots.

Sakura's empty emerald eyes were locked into her inner self's diabolical jade ones. Was it even possible for someone to have so much darkness?

It _was_ possible.

Inner Sakura was someone she had created herself. All those negative and sad feelings she had harbored since childhood had all accumulated inside, slowly taking form.

Now, she was facing the monster she had created.

_I thought I could defeat her. I really did. _

_But…I can't. I just can't…_

_She's just too powerful…_

Suddenly, blood began to well inside her mouth, forcing her to cough it up as Inner Sakura landed a straight punch right into Sakura's abdomen.

She landed another blow.

And another.

Sakura's teeth had turned from pearl white to crimson red. She could taste the blood. It was bitter. Disgusting. Repulsive. The taste of what she had soiled her hands in. It made her nauseous.

She kept coughing and coughing. And along with one cough, vomit accompanied it.

Afterwards, all she felt was the hardened floor she had gotten to know very well as her inner self threw her.

_I'm really going to die…but…at least I have no regrets, right?_

_I worked out everything with Sasuke-kun and Ino so that there's no more animosity between us. Naruto will be happy to know that I finally came to my senses. And of course Tsunade-sama would be pleased that she had a good apprentice._

_Everything ought to be okay, right?_

_I won't let Inner Sakura have the last laugh. She won't succeed. That was something I made sure of. She will not have my body._

_I know they all wanted me to win. I tried though. I really did. But I couldn't._

_Everyone…I'm sorry I didn't win._

…_._

…

…

…_Kakashi-sensei._

…_I love you. Please never forget that or me…_

With welling tears in her eyes, Sakura closed them as she welcomed her death.

* * *

"We're losing her again!" Ino cried. Sakura's heartbeat was now almost inexistent. Her vital signals were fading slowly.

"Dammit! DAMMIT!" Tsunade cursed, punching the table beside her with so much strength it broke in half. She had done everything in her power to keep Sakura alive. But now, nothing could be done.

Sakura has lost her will to live. There wasn't anything that could be done to save her. _Dammit…_ She tried to contain the cries that were making their way.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

The scream that came from an all too familiar voice, caught Tsunade's attention. Naruto?

"Sakura-chan! Dammit don't you dare die on me!" Naruto cried. "You're strong Sakura-chan. You were always strong."

A cry got stuck in his throat.

That's right. Sakura always strived to become better. She thought she wasn't good enough. She was always insecure and believed she was nothing but a burden

But he knew that wasn't true. Sakura had a strong will. She had inner strength. Someone without her inner strength couldn't have withstood all the hardships that she did. She had a powerful heart.

It was her that brought together the team. It was her smile that would brighten everyone's day. Even if she didn't believe it, she was the pillar that supported the team; the one who would ease each and every single one of their pain. She was the kindness that he, Sasuke and Kakashi sought.

Her kindness was what made her strong.

"Don't lose. You can't lose…" He sobbed. "You just can't…"

* * *

_Who-who's that? I know that voice. It…it's Naruto…_

Sakura's eyes weakly fluttered.

_But why is he with me? How did he know about this?_

She could hear him. She could sense him. He was there, at her side. He was with her. He was talking to her, although it's more accurate to say that he was screaming at her. But nonetheless, he was encouraging her.

As he always did.

He was always a loud-mouthed brat but he never failed her. He had never disappointed her. Ever. He never allowed the hardships he faced get to him. He was the kind of shinobi she aspired to be and she respected and admired him profoundly.

_Naruto…_

_

* * *

_

Naruto turned to the voice that had followed his. It was Sasuke. His blue eyes stared straight at Sasuke.

"Come on Sakura. You have to defeat her. You have to come back." He clenched his fists. He didn't want to lose her. Even if she could no longer love him back, he still wanted her by his side. He still wanted to see that cheerful smile on her face calling his name.

He needed her.

He didn't deserve any of that. He knew it. He knew it every well. All he ever did was hurt her. It had always been like that. She gave and she gave but he never took it. And if he did, he just would take it for granted.

How selfish of him. Recognizing his own selfishness made him sick in the stomach. It made him feel like a repulsive human being. Was it too late to change? Hoped it wasn't for he wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to repay back her kindness even if it was at least half of it.

That was something he had sworn to do.

"You…" He took a sobbed-full breath. "You can't die…please…"

* * *

_Is that Sasuke-kun? Sasuke-kun is here?_

It was difficult for her to belief it. But he truly was there. That was his voice. He was there for her.

It was the first time he was there for her. She had always wanted him to acknowledge her. That's why she strived to become a good ninja. That's why she was always there for him. But he always ignored her. She felt all her attempts were useless. That she was just another teammate to him.

However, once he came back he finally paid attention to her. He finally acknowledged her. Their relationship had a lot of pain, sadness and bitterness but all of that was of the past. It wasn't to be remembered ever again. What was mattered now was that everything she had given him, he was now trying to give it back.

She thought that he took her for granted. But the talk they had had the previous day made her realize that he was just a lost and confused boy who didn't know what he wanted. That is why to know that he was there by her side at this moment made her happy because it meant that her presence was precious to him. It assured her once more that he didn't take her for granted.

She was someone important to him.

* * *

"Come on Sakura! Beat that crazy bitch to a pulp!" Ino's voice broke. "If you aren't here, who will be my rival? You are what makes me want to strive and become better. If you aren't here…who will be my best friend?"

Tears began to cascade down her face.

She had never thought of becoming a medical ninja. In fact, she didn't have many aspirations in life other than becoming a good shinobi like her father.

But when she heard that Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice and that she was working hard to become a shinobi that others would rely on, that's what pulled the trigger she needed to also strive.

She too wanted to become someone worthy.

"Sakura-chan. Please don't die. Please don't give up." Hinata said. She had always looked up to Sakura. Sakura was a strong dependable woman who always looked forward. She was the kind of shinobi she wanted to be.

Sakura was the one who gave her the strength she needed to become more confident in herself; to belief in her abilities.

And more importantly, it was she who made her realize who she truly loved.

"You must prevail Sakura-san. This is not your fate." Neji came to Hinata's side. Subtly, he took hold of her trembling hand for comfort and ease. Sakura had saved Hinata's life. If not for her, she would've surely died. Nothing he did could ever repay Sakura back for what she did. Nothing.

Someone like Sakura didn't deserve that kind of fate.

Right when Neji had finished, the door was stormed open startling everyone in the room.

"Sorry we are late!" Lee said and with him was Shikamaru, Choji, Tenten, Kiba and Shino.

"Come on Sakura! Do not give up!" Lee added.

"You can do it Sakura!" Tenten cheered.

"Go for it Sakura." Kiba followed.

"I know you have a second ace up your sleeve somewhere." Shino said.

"Go Sakura GO!" Choji cried.

"If you die Sakura, it'll be very troublesome for all of us. I don't think any of us will be able to let go of you." Shikamaru said.

Tsunade watched with widened bronze eyes. Every single one of them had come here just for her. It was something she just had not expected. But as she heard them all giving her strong words of encouragement, she felt a happiness inside that almost made her cry.

She had believed that their presence would only distract her, but hey had proven her wrong. Their presence was what she needed the moment she had gone comatose.

_Can you hear them Sakura? They are all gathered here for you. You tend to think that you aren't someone of great significance. But, you don't know just how important you are to them. To us. _

_You have no idea how much it will hurt us all to lose you._

_Please…please don't give up now. _

_

* * *

_

_Ino? Ino's here too?_

_Hinata-chan and Neji-san as well?_

_Lee?_

_Tenten?_

_Kiba?_

_Shino?_

_Choji?_

_Shikamaru?_

…_._

…_.everyone's here…for me?_

_

* * *

_

Once everyone had spoken, Kakashi approached Sakura's bed. As he made way, they all opened path for him. It was his time now. Slowly, they walked away from the bed.

Kakashi looked at her. Eyes full of such a heavy sadness that sunk anyone's heart.

_Kind Sakura._

_Sweet Sakura._

She used to be a love-struck girl who cared more for boys than for training. She was never confident in her abilities. But he knew she had amazing potential. She was smart. But she was also kind. Even if she never saw it, she was what kept the team together.

Seeing her in pain, caused him pain. Seeing her smile, made him smile. And seeing her grow, made him proud. She turned from an insecure girl to a strong young woman. One thing that never changed was her pure heart.

Even after what happened, he knew her heart remained as pure as ever. It was that purity he always wanted to protect.

_Sakura…_

He was reluctant to touch her hand in fear that it would destroy her. She looked so fragile. Like the soft pink petals of a Sakura tree that with one touch, could be pulled away from the branch.

_Don't die…_

Gently, his hand moved away the rosette bangs that covered her eyes. He gazed at her sleeping face. She was his sleeping beauty. He loved seeing that ethereal, pure and innocent face; the face of someone who dreamt soundly asleep.

But right now, he didn't want to see that sleeping face. For he feared that that would be the last thing he would ever see from her.

_Don't leave me…_

He had lost everyone he loved. At least, that was what he believed. But that wasn't true. He still had her. She was the light of his eyes. She always had been. The bright light that shinned on the darkness he lived in.

If he lost that light, how would he ever live? He'd be consumed in darkness again. He didn't want to lose another person he loved again. He just couldn't bare it.

His hand traveled to her face, caressing it with the back of his hand. His free hand, held Sakura's.

"You must win Sakura. You say didn't have any regrets but, what about us? What about the people you will leave behind?" He said. "No one can replace you Sakura. Can't you see that? Can't you sense us?"

_Please…_

"Sakura…"

No one could replace her.

And if she was gone, a void would form in her place; a void so big that it would never fill.

She was his everything.

She was his entire world.

He lived for her.

He'd die for her.

He loved her.

"…I can't live without you…"

* * *

_Kakashi-sensei…?_

She could hear him very well. Out of all the voices that reached her, his was the one she was able to hear the clearest and the one she could perceive the forlorn feeling in which he spoke to her.

He didn't say much. And yet, in what little he said, he had said everything.

…_what is that? _

She felt something strange; drops falling on her face. It felt familiar. It was something she knew all too well to not recognize.

Tears.

Kakashi was crying.

_No…please don't cry for me…_

She couldn't bare it. To be honest, she had never seen him cry. Kakashi was the kind of person who was open about many things but when it came to his inner turmoil or his feelings, he would tend to keep it to himself.

There were times when he would speak to her about those kinds of things. But it was rare. And if he did, his typical care-free smile would always make an appearance be it at the middle of the conversation or at the end. It was his way of hiding what he truly felt.

Then again, she would often fake a smile as well.

And now, he was crying; in front of everyone else, probably for the first time ever in a very long time.

She began to cry.

But why? Why would she cry?

_I made sure to have no regrets. That way if I die, I wouldn't cry. But why am I crying now? It wasn't supposed to be like this…_

_Why does my heart hurt so much?_

It hurt even more than the pain throughout her body.

"You crying? Well, it was about damn time. To be honest, I wouldn't enjoy killing you without you shedding tears. There's just no fun in it." Inner Sakura said sadistically.

But Sakura was deaf to her words.

_Everyone is here for me…_

A kick to her stomach.

_They all care for me…_

Her hair being pulled. Tears continue to stream down.

_They don't want me to die…_

A left hook. The hard ground welcomed her trampled body once more.

_Kakashi-sensei…I..._

As Inner Sakura approached Sakura, she felt the chakra inside Sakura spread throughout her body. She had never seen anything like it before. It felt bizarre.

_What the hell is she doing?_

Her first thought was that Sakura was trying to protect what little she could of her organs but such a feat seemed useless. Healing her injuries couldn't be possible since she need to focus her chakra in her hands in order to proceed with the healing process.

But then, she saw something that irked her more than anything in her existence.

Sakura grinned.

"You know, I thought that if I didn't have any regrets then if I died here it wouldn't have mattered. That outside, everyone would eventually go on with their lives." Sakura said weakly. Even talking was painful. "But I was wrong…"

"Why the change of heart?" Inner Sakura raised an eyebrow, pouting.

"They made me realize how wrong I was. Even if for me I've settled everything, they didn't. They could never settle for me dying." _Almost done…_

"You're just a fuckin idiot."

"You're the fuckin idiot who doesn't get it. I am not going to give my body to you."

At that moment, the irritation and anger that had slowly been filling Inner Sakura, exploded as she kicked Sakura, making her roll along with a loud grunt of pain that came out of her mouth.

"Then again, I was also an idiot thinking they would've been okay with me dying. But they won't be okay with it. They will all miss me too much."

_I was such an idiot…_

_But…I also don't want to leave them. I don't. I…I love them all too much. They are my friends. I don't want to leave them…_

_I…_

_I don't want to die…_

She wanted to be with them forever. They had been together since the start. Back when they were just students in the Ninja Academy. They had always been together, even if they were all on separate teams. She wanted to continue growing up with them; to continue becoming a better ninja; to accomplish all of her dreams with them.

And most importantly…

…_I want to be with Kakashi-sensei the most_.

"My friends are waiting for me to wake up." Slowly, Sakura tried to stand up her wound-filled body. It wasn't as painful but it still hurt to move about. _I have to ends this quickly._

Meanwhile, Inner Sakura's eyes widened in frustration, as she saw Sakura stand up. "What? How the hell can you stand up? You shouldn't even be able to move a finger! What the fuck did you do?"

_Wait…_

She recalled the chakra she had senses earlier, circling around Sakura's body. "But how…?"

"It's a little advice from Tsunade-sama before coming here." Sakura grinned.

"_Sakura listen, before you go I have one last advice to give you." Tsunade said. "As you know, healing requires the use of the hands. However, there is also an alternate way of healing your body without using your hands."_

"_There is? But is it even effective?" Sakura inquired. The hands were a medic ninja's tools. With them, they did everything. Without them, they were practically useless. _

"_It isn't very effective but in situations where you're terribly injured and unable to use your hands, it comes in handy." Tsunade explained. "All you have to do in concentrate, and concentrate well, all of your chakra. Then you have to spread it throughout your body. It will heal but only temporary, enough to allow you to move." _

"_It seems like a slow process though."_

"_It is actually. You need some time for the healing to be done. So you will need to buy some time."_

"_Alright. Thank you Tsunade-sama."_

"Dammit! I knew I shouldn't have disconnected myself from you. Otherwise, I would've been able to know about that little trick." Inner Sakura cursed, though mostly at herself.

"You are powerful. There's no doubt about it. But your power is only based on your own selfishness, greediness and darkness. I, on the other hand, am surrounded by people who love me." Sakura took her fighting stance. "They are _my_ source of power. I will not give my body to you. I had vowed to defeat you and I _will_ keep my vow."

Sakura's emerald eyes glared straight into Inner Sakura's jades. Inner Sakura was stood aback momentarily at the fiery strength and determination that emitted from them. Before, they were completely empty and lifeless. Now they were eyes prepared to fight.

Eyes that were prepared to kill.

"Well, let's just see about that." Inner Sakura said as she suddenly used her speed to disappear from in front Sakura.

_Okay concentrate Sakura._ Inner Sakura was no doubt fast. She could feel her wild presence everyone. It was indeed hard to pin point her location.

"Guess I'm still too fast for you, huh?"

Sakura closed her eyes, clearing her mind from her own thoughts as well as her inner self's taunts. She had to concentrate and locate her opponent's chakra right at the last second before impact.

She had to sense her as if she were smelling her, just as Kiba and Kakashi had taught her.

_Lower body? _

_Behind? _

_Right? _

_Left?_

…_._

…_._

_Left!_

Just before Inner Sakura was about to land her jab, Sakura blocked it with her hands and retaliated with a punch straight into the jaw.

The punch had been powerful enough to have thrown Inner Sakura to the ground. Blood dripped from the side of her lip.

"Damn you…"

"Like I said, I vowed to kill you."

Inner Sakura charged right at Sakura, this time not using her speed as a form of distraction but rather as an asset for hand-to-hand combat.

Inner Sakura appeared to have the upper hand before since Sakura could barely manage to block her attacks. However, this time Sakura was able to keep up with her. Though she couldn't retaliate yet, she was able to block most of the attacks.

That wasn't good at all.

Even more so when she attempted to kick Sakura, she didn't dodge it this time. Instead, she clutched the leg and gave Inner Sakura a taunting smirk.

Inner Sakura gritted her teeth. Taking advantage of Sakura's hold, she threw a punch but only to have Sakura do a low kick at her inner self's supporting leg, making her lose balance as she released the other leg from her hold. Too quickly for Inner Sakura to react, Sakura laid a hard and solid punch at her abdomen, causing Inner Sakura to let out a gasp of pain.

Standing aback, she held her abdomen. _Fuck…if she had been at full strength, I probably would've been left unconscious._

But Sakura didn't allow her any time to recuperate, as she quickly took advantage of the situation. Now, it was she who had the upper hand making Inner Sakura be the one to evade her attacks.

"What's wrong? I haven't heard your taunts in a while." Sakura gave her a patronizing smirk which only fueled her enemy's anger.

Inner Sakura couldn't believe it. She couldn't fathom how someone could change so drastically. One moment, she was beating her to a pulp while Sakura lost her will to live. Now, Sakura was the one who was beginning to corner her and had the same strong resolve as when she had arrived.

It was like a completely different person had taken over.

Sakura threw a jab but this time Inner Sakura pushed it aside right before it connected with her jaw. She counterattacked with a punch of her own. However, the attack failed as Sakura crutched down.

_Shit! I'm completely open! _

Inner Sakura felt her original self hit land a blow but with her palm, unleashing her own chakra. She didn't recognize what that attack was until she felt the effects of it: she felt some of her chakra access blocked.

The strike of the attack had been powerful and made it difficult for Inner Sakura to recover. Before she could even do so, Sakura had already launched the second wave.

Then a third wave.

Each time, Inner Sakura would feel even more disorientated. Her movements became slower, making it even harder to react on time. And what was worse, she felt her chakra even less.

"You…you just performed the Gentle Fist…" Inner Sakura said hoarsely, panting. She could no longer feel her chakra.

"That's right…You should remember that…we trained with the Hyuuga's once. As such, I memorized the… location of each chakra ...pathway." Sakura panted as well. The attack had taken its toll on her too. The Gentle Fist used ones own chakra. She barely had any, but it was a risk she had to take.

"Heh. Well I'll give you credit for this one. But there isn't much you can do now. You're just as useless as I am now. I can imagine how much strength you loss with this little maneuver of yours." Inner Sakura said.

"You're right about that. But I still have some chakra left whereas you have no access to it. Right now, you're just as useless as a genin."

With that said Sakura charged at Inner Sakura and landed a punch that sent her straight to the ground. A loud grunt escaped Inner Sakura as her body hit the ground. Not giving her a chance to even stand up, Sakura pulled Inner Sakura's hair and forced her to her feet only to land another blow at her body.

The tables had turned. And it was Inner Sakura who was now at Sakura's mercy.

Battered and like the lump that was Sakura before, Inner Sakura lay on the ground. Sakura watched her with the same eyes that her inner self had looked at her with.

The eyes of complete domination.

"Fuck you…" Inner Sakura snared. She couldn't believe it at all. Where the hell did all of that power came from? It didn't make any sense at all! Why was she the one on the ground being looked down?

"I told you. My power comes from my friends. But that is something you would never understand. And now, you will die." Sakura raised her hand. She only had enough chakra for that last attack.

Inner Sakura could only but look at her original self. She couldn't do anything. Her body was completely battered, bones were broken, and she had no access to her chakra.

"Originally, I planned on making you suffer immensely. But I barely have any chakra left. So fortunately for you, I'll end this quicker than planned." With chakra concentrated on her two fingers, Sakura hit all of her inner self's limbs and caused a liaison in her muscles making Inner Sakura emit a loud cry of excruciating pain.

Sakura stood for a moment to watch the scene. It felt awkward seeing herself in such a miserable state. Then again, as much as she would've wanted to have tortured Inner Sakura as much as she had tortured her, she wasn't going to be a lowlife as her.

She wasn't going to fall down to her sadistic and morbid level.

"Goodbye, forever." And then, she plunged her two fingers straight into Inner Sakura's heart. With one last gasp of pain, she died.

_I…I didn't it everyone…_

It was over.

_I killed her…I won…_

She finally killed the monster she had created.

_It's finally over Kakashi-sensei…_

The nightmare had come to an end.

Tears of joy, relief, and triumph began to fall down her cheeks as she succumbed to her own weary body and feel unconscious, right beside the fading corpse that used to be her inner self.

* * *

**A/N: Finally. It's over. This chapter has been the hardest I've ever done. I really had a serious writer's block. I didn't like anything I wrote. I was constantly writing and deleting. But finally, my muse came and I was able to write something I was incredibly satisfied with. I like how it turned out in the end. I think everything was concluded very well. Don't you? **

**Well, next is the very last chapter of Redemption. Please Read & Review. Thank you!**


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